Railroading in America Magazine Edition 10 by railroadinginamerica

Welcome to Edition 10 of Railroading in America Magazine! Note From The President

Edition 10 marks a point in this company’s history - our second year of publishing professional magazines that are written by railroad enthusiasts from all over the United States. Throughout my journey as co-founder and leader of this great organization, I have learned many valuable life skills - and so have our many crew members. This is not my normal company update letter, but instead a letter of gratitude for my crew members I take pride in calling my friends... a letter of gratitude for the companies that have helped us grow… a letter of gratitude for our readers… but most importantly a letter of gratitude to my parents. Our crew members never cease to amaze me. Their initiative to make this company and their skillset grow with every edition is quite amazing - and usually unheard of for a group of teenagers. They are always looking for ways to improve their articles. Whether it be the low of an article, their grammar, or even their photography skills - they are constantly improving. The crew members at Railroading in America Magazine are not only my co-workers, but people who I am proud to call my friends. They have integrity, zeal, honesty, loyalty, humility, humbleness, compassion, and a sense of responsibility. While celebrating our second year as a magazine publisher, I would like to thank Garrett Monnin, Max Harris, Jonah Collins, Walker Wood, Clayton Cook, Riley Ginger, Adam Zappacosta, John Barragan, and Carlos Llamas for their dedication to this company. Our partner companies have helped this magazine grow in all di ferent ways. Whether it be moral support, guidance, exposure, product reviews, friends, or content - they are always there to help us out. O Gauge Railroading magazine has been with us for just over six months, and to say that their team is gracious is an understatement! They’ve helped us reach new clientele, shared a table with us at York, allowed us to be their business partners and friends, and have guided and mentored us along the way. Thank you Rich Melvin, Alan Arnold, Allan Miller, Jim Barrett, and Ed Boyle for your continued support on our business venture together! A special thank you also goes to Lionel and MTH for being the ﬁrst ones to send us products to review for the magazine! There are many other companies and organizations that we have partnered with in the last year. We’ve partnered with Metra, Progress Rail, the Notch 6 Podcast, the Kentucky Steam Heritage Corporation, the Nashville Steam Preservation Society, the UP Steam Program, to name a few. To all of our exceptional friends and partners, thank you for your support. The most important people out of this colossal list are my parents, Frank and Jen. Without your support and devotion to this magazine we would not be where we are today. Thank you for loaning money to help us start this business. Thank you for taking me to York to sell magazines with one of my closest friends, Max. But most importantly, thank you for believing in me. Thank you for being there during hard times, thank you for supporting all of my wild ventures, but most importantly, thank you for loving me no matter what. Finally, thank you to all of our readers. Without your support, we would not have connections with any of these companies. Your dedication to this magazine is appreciated by everyone here. So without further ado, I would like to invite you to take a look at a new chapter in Railroading in America Magazine’s legacy - our tenth publication - marking our two year anniversary

Evan Cihlar RIAM President and CEO

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........................... The Columbia and Reading: A Shortline Reborn Page 3................... The Kentucky Steam Heritage Corporation and CSX Page 5............. An Interview with the New England Steam Corporation Page 8......................... Wintertime on the Cumbres and Toltec Railroad Page 10............................ Carina Borst: The IRM's First Female Fireman Page 14............. The North Pole Express at Steam Railroading Institute Page 17............. Rising Up: Firing the Future at the Strasburg Rail Road Page 20.............................. Kitbashing an HO Southern Paciﬁc SD40T-2 Page 22.............................. HO Scale GP38-2 Rebuild and Repaint Part 2 Page 24................... Kato's Spirit of the Union Paciﬁc SD70ACE Reviewed Page 26........... MTH Am leet Cars, Exclusive Capstone Paint Reviewed Page 29................................... The Pros and Cons of Using Smoke Units Page 31..................................................... Rich Melvin's Highball Column Page 33........................................................................ The Laughing Stock

The Columbia & Reading:

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A Shortline Reborn

Adam Zappacosta

The Columbia & Reading Railway is a small shortline railroad in south-central Pennsylvania. The railroad was originally chartered on May 19th, 1857 by a private group of investors, who initially named the railroad the Reading & Columbia Railroad, but the Philadelphia & Reading Railway Company had operational control of the line.

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This branchline originated in Lebanon, PA and headed south for Cornwall. In and around Cornwall, there were a few iron ore mines that the railroads served. A mile or so southwest of Cornwall, there lied a town, now known as Cornwall Furnace. The railroads took the raw material from the mines to be processed at the furnace; also, ore from other parts of the region was brought here as well. The tracks further ran south and met the branch line from Sinking Spring, PA which went through Ephrata, Lititz, Manheim, and ﬁnally met with the Reading & Columbia just south of Cornwall and between Lititz and Manheim o f of the more easterly branch line starting in Sinking Spring. Most of the tracks between Manheim and Columbia on the old Cornwall Branch have been torn up. Just in the last seven years, the rails 1

running out of Lebanon have been taken out and rebirthed with the rails to trails program. The trail covers roughly 15 miles of the line ending in the small town of Bellaire in Lancaster County. Here, the trail name changes to the Conewago Trail, extending the trail an additional 2 miles to a rail connection on the north side of Elizabethtown, PA. This trail was the line that branched from Cornwall to Mt. Gretna, and continued further west to what was an interchange with the Pennsylvania Railroads electriﬁed line between Philadelphia and Harrisburg, now Amtrak’s Keystone Corridor. The main line of the Cornwall Branch continued south. This part of the line was also torn up, but wound up unused in the trail. The line continued over the

hills of south central Pennsylvania and ﬁnally ended up in Columbia. There, the old roadbed of the Reading & Columbia has been built over for housing. The original Reading & Columbia freight station still sits in Columbia and has been restored. The tracks that went to the station have since been removed. The modern Columbia & Reading was purchased by Mr. Chris and Mrs. Deb Freed in late 2009, with operations beginning o ﬁcially on April 9th, 2010. Since the new ownership, a nickname has been adopted for the railroad which is also its call letters, the CORY. The railroad in its current state is only about two and a half miles that runs through the town and just a bit out of its namesake of Columbia. The original line that still extends out of the northeast side is the original

right of way of the Reading & Columbia that came from Lebanon. The railroad has no northerly connection, as the tracks between Cornwall and Columbia were torn up in the late 1970s by Conrail. The railroad connects with the old Pennsy secondary from Lancaster, PA, now operated by Norfolk Southern. This line from Lancaster connected with the river line and continued into Harrisburg. The railroad serves two customers daily, one being an agricultural company that receives carloads in of waste food like bread, cereal, cookies and other baked products in covered hoppers. This is then turned into a feed for farm animals that gets sold at a local feed mill. The other is a propane transloading facility owned by the railroad. To switch out these cars, the railroad uses an ex Baltimore and Ohio ALCo S-2 numbered 226. On average, Norfolk Southern switches out the CORY three times per week, mainly dropping o f loaded tank cars and picking up the empties. As rail tra ďŹ c slows for the season on the CORY, they will be receiving cars throughout the upcoming months for storage. Since the start of the transloading facility, the railroad is averaging 750 carloads per year.

CORY 226 is a former B&O ALCo S-2, and is their primary motive power.

Also on the site is Rail Mechanical Services, and this is how the Freeds originally entered the railroading industry. The company primarily does repair on diesel-electric locomotives, and there is even a shop on site in Columbia. Those who wish not to send their locomotive out to the shop can choose to have the option to have RMS employees go to their railroad to make minor repairs. RMS can also handle smaller locomotives, including narrow gauge, at the shop in Columbia. In the past, locomotives from Disney Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Animal Kingdom had been on site for repairs. The future looks very bright for the Columbia & Reading Railway. Currently, an expansion of the propane facility is underway to add another track so two tank cars can be unloaded at once. At some point, the hope is to grow further with rail business as there are a few customers that could be utilizing rail for inward and outward shipments. In the grand scheme, the Columbia & Reading is a very successful shortline for its size, and it still has potential to grow. The upcoming years may seem some good things to come to Columbia.

Belfonte Central Historical Society's RDC is seen here arriving at the CORY's shops for restoration in 2017.

The Kentucky Steam Heritage Corporation and CSX Max Harris

As many class one operations begin to stray away from steam programs and excursions, rail fans and preservationists alike have worried about the future of rail preservation. While many of these people fear the worst, several groups are still being assisted by class one operations, such as the Kentucky Steam Heritage Corporation (KSHC). This newly-founded group, built around the idea of educating the public about railroading’s past and steam locomotion, owes much of their success to CSX Transportation.

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The historical group first approached the class one railroad in the summer of 2016, aiming to purchase an abandoned rail yard and railcar service facility in Ravenna, Kentucky. At first, CSX was “lukewarm” to the idea. They liked the concept, yet were not 100% ready to sell o f the real estate. Talks between the two companies continued, however, and as time went on the two groups continued to negotiate. Eventually, CSX allowed the KSHC to o ficially purchase the land, and even dedicated one of their locomotives, ET44AH #3440, to the KSHC, dubbing the engine the “Spirit of Ravenna”. The property was under contract from the spring of 2018 until October 15th, 2018, when the land was o ficially purchased. The land will be used as the centerpiece in the KSHC’s e fort to restore the Chesapeake and Ohio 2716 and other pieces of rail history. Without the land and railcar service building, the group wouldn’t be able to fulfill their task of bringing rail history alive for the public to see. Thanks to CSX, the KSHC now has a permanent home.

(ITM) ﬁnds a new home a ter their eviction from Noblesville, Indiana. Additionally, the KSHC purchased two passenger cars, a baggage car and a Railway Post O ﬁce (RPO) car, and leased an auxiliary water tender from ITM. These cars cars were to be moved via rail, so once again, CSX was called upon for assistance. Following a month-long refurbishment of the cars, preformed by Andy Wartman and Jason Sobczynski, CSX hitched the three car “Steam Support Consist” to the rear of several freight trains until the cars arrived in Ravenna from Anderson, Indiana in October 2018. The four day journey went o f without a hitch, and proved once again that class one railroads aren’t the bad guys when it comes to history preservation. CSX has continually been involved with the KSHC, with them most recently donating a gondola full of pre-made track sections to the group. The railyard that the KSHC purchased no longer has rails, with just a wye at one end. These track sections will allow the group to relink the repair facility to the wye and eventually bring the C&O 2716 into the shop for restoration. The 2716 will also be moved via CSX, with

This, however, would not be the last time that the two groups worked together to save railroading history. In fact, while the land was still under contract and not o ﬁcially purchased, CSX allowed the KSHC to The former CSX car repair Facility in Ravenna, KY, will be the site of store the Nickel Plate Road 587 inside the shop in the the Kentucky Steam Heritage Corporation's steam restoration projects. summer of 2018. The KSHC has taken up storing this Photo by Andy Wartman. Mikado while the Indiana Transportation Museum 3

the class one being very receptive to moving the 2-8-4, as long as it is safe to do so. The KSHC hopes to one day operate mainline excursions with the 2716, but only time will tell if this dream will come to fruition. The partnership between the two groups is building a strong relationship for the Kentucky Steam Heritage Corporation and CSX. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It's a nice feeling to have when a class one railroad supports

your organizationâ&#x20AC;?, said Chris Campbell, founder of the KSHC. The KSHC is proud to be creating a link between modern railroads and the history behind them, and looks forward to working more with CSX in the future.

Halter Cranes donated several pieces of equipment for use to move the rail cars to active tracks, so they could be prepped for the trip ton Ravenna. Photo by Andy Wartman.

The Steam Support Consist is seen here in Amderson, IN, a ter almost a month of prep work to take the two-day trek to Ravenna, KY. Photo by Andy Wartman.

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The three cars are resting in a CSX railyard a ter a day of traveling on the rear of a freight train. As the sun sets, the cars will soon be attached to another train and get one step closer to their new home. Photo by Andy Wartman.

An Interview with the New England Steam Corporation

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Recently, I had the pleasure to interview Richard Glueck, President of the New England Steam Corporation. We had a friendly conversation regarding the past, present, and future of the Maine Central 470, a 4-6-2 ”Paciﬁc”, which is currently being restored to operating condition at the Downeast Scenic Railroad in Ellsworth, Maine. Q: What is the history of 470, and how did 470 come into your care? A: 470 was built in 1924 by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) of Schenectady, New York for the Maine Central Railroad. It was the second engine of a two-locomotive batch, with sister 469 preceding it. The class C locomotives were designed to handle the last leg of the seasonal Bar Harbor express, a seasonal hotshot passenger train. The train started in Washington, D.C, then ran to Penn Station via the Pennsylvania Railroad. Then, the New Haven operated the train to Worcester, Maine. The B&M then escorted passengers to Union Station in Portland. From there, the Maine

Garrett Monnin

Central took charge of the last leg to Ellsworth, where the passengers boarded a bus to the resort in Bar Harbor. For nearly 30 years, 470 and her sisters whisked the Bar Harbor Express and other passenger trains across the Maine Central system. On Saturday, June 13, 1954, 470 was the last steam engine to operate on the Maine Central when she pulled the “Farewell To Steam” excursion from Portland to Bangor, ME and return. The locomotive was then retired and put on display next to the railroad’s Waterville station ﬁve days later. On December 14, 1970, the Waterville depot was razed and the engine was moved to a roadside display site, which was next to College Avenue in Waterville. In total, she was on display for 62 years. Throughout her display time, vandals had not been kind to the locomotive, as the homeless found shelter in the tender and vandals had taken valuable items, such as cab gauges, from the engine. When initially prepared for display, all

major parts had been welded together. Despite this, the engine had no major issues. In 2014, the City of Waterville could no longer insure the engine, and reviewed six proposals regarding the future of the 470. The New England Steam Corporation ended up acquiring the steamer for $25,000 and thanks to railfans from around the globe, the entire purchase price was raised in only six months. Once this transaction was completed, a restoration to operation would be in store for 470. Then in August of 2016, the engine was moved from Waterville to Ellsworth, ME. Thanks to both monetary and service donations, the cost to move the locomotive was raised in a year. The move itself took two years of preparation and lots of patience, dedication, and lubrication. Today, the 470 is on the property of the Maine Department of Transportation, which is leased by the Downeast Scenic Railroad. The Downeast Scenic is a proud host of NESC, and their cooperation is

Top Photo: 470 wastes no time getting her ﬁnal excursion underway as she barks through Brunswick, Maine in 1954. Photo courtesy of the NESCo. 5

Maine Central 470 arrives in Oakland, Maine in her ﬁnal days of service. Photo courtesy of the NESCo.

invaluable to the restoration e fort. In addition to the Downeast Scenic Railroad’s support, numerous local businesses have helped supply services and monetary donations. Thanks to all of the support of rail enthusiasts everywhere, a new building for 470 has been put in place. Q: Are there any challenges that your group is facing, and what is the current scope of work? A: Right now, our largest focus is the rebuilding of the tender. The tender is mostly corroded, but intact. The entirety of the interior is rotted and covered with trash from the homeless. A fresh tender tank is being constructed from drawings devised from the original. The trucks are in good CMO Leverett Fernald heats the crosshead causing the steel to expand. Photo courtesy of the NESCo. shape, and the bearings are clean. All journals and brasses haven been cleaned and polished. There are over 4,400 rivets in the tender, and every single one will be replaced. However, historical photos, drawings, and merchandise, including a some steel may be tack welded in order to prepare the steel for new T shirt! installation. If work progresses as anticipated, the tender Q: Is there anything else you want to talk about that I should be completed by the end of 2019. didn’t touch on?

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Q: What is your fundraising goal, and how much A: I would like to thank railfans and the railroad progress has been made towards that goal? preservation community for their generosity, as it has been A: NESC hopes to raise $1,300,000 to finance the restoration beyond any expectations for which we might have hoped. A and future operation of Maine Central 470. As of October lot of people thought 470 was beyond reclamation. It takes 2018, $370,000 of this goal has been raised. In addition to determination and a daily e fort to keep a movement like the expenses associated with steam locomotive restoration, a ours going. We were fortunate enough to have people concrete loor and drop pit are other necessities that will need recognize the seriousness of our e fort. Some restoration projects are in the eyes of starry-eyed dreamers, others are to be installed to enhance the work environment. planned, projected, and brought forth by people who are going to see it through. Cities adopted retired steam engines Q: How can the public support this project? out of a fection and pride. If readers know of a locomotive in A: The best way to support the 470 is to purchase a NESC need of a friend, don't look for somebody else to carry the membership, which can be found on the NESC website. torch. Make a realistic plan with other serious people and Another way to contribute to the restoration is to make a then talk to the city or town where it resides. You may simply monetary donation online or by mail, and all proceeds build a shed, power wash and paint the locomotive. Always directly benefit the project. Volunteers are also accepted a ter oil and grease the valves and all parts meant to move. Drain completion of the required application and safety courses. wet journals and oil them if possible. A qualified inspector Volunteers will need to provide their own Personal Protection may come out and look your locomotive over to determine if Equipment (PPE). For the latest news regarding 470 and the it's restorable. The point is to do something positive. if not, a NESC, please check our website and Facebook accounts, scrapper will eventually pose an o fer to the city council. which will be provided at the end of this article. In addition Remember, in the words of Joni Mitchell, "You don't know the regular updates, the site also features teaching materials, what you've got till it's gone". 6

The groups main three objectives include: • Preservation: 470 is the last artifact of Bar Harbor Express, and the legacy of this famous train will be carried on with the operation of this historical icon. • Education: PreK to Post Grad students will beneﬁt from the locomotive. For example, college students are currently rebuilding an air pump (with supervision, of course). • Heritage Tourism: Maine is very popular with tourists, and Hancock is close to Acadia National Park, which is one of the most attended national parks in the United States. Estimates say 470 will bring an additional 10,000 people per year to area. To see more about the NESC, visit their website at www.newenglandsteam.org

Top: Volunteer Clayton Nowell uses a hydraulic ram to separate parts on the crosshead. Photo courtesy of the NESCo. Le t: Volunteer Roger Bennati removing scale and accumulation from one of her drivers. Once these are clean, they will get inspected for possible repairs. Photo courtesy of the NESCo.

Right: The booster motor has been opened for evaluation. Photo courtesy of the NESCo.

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Wintertime on the Cumbres and Toltec Railroad

Welcome back to the Cumbres & Toltec. Let's take a quick look into the Antonito, Colorado shops and its winter operations, which can ironically be one of the busiest times of the year. What at ﬁrst was the quieter end of the railroad has exploded into a restoration and maintenance facility like no other. A year round sta f of 5 or 6 has turned to into three shop crews of 17 employees, and the amount of work being accomplished is very impressive. In the locomotive shop, track one is home to locomotive 488, with a snow plow attached, with plans for a March snow plow run. The Antonito crew will perform the annual inspection and make all necessary repairs. The Antonito yard has grown a bit and in its storage tracks are the Jordan Spreader and a snowplow, in preparation for heavy snow falls in

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the San Luis Valley.

Track two is very exciting, as the restoration of Denver & Rio Grande Western locomotive 168 is being completed there and the work is going quite well. Just before Christmas, the new tires arrived and have since been placed onto the axles and work continues on the oil cellars and crown brass boxes. Now if you are curious, 168 had oil cellars when it arrived on the Cumbres and Toltec and will remain that way.

Carlos Llamas

Track three in the Antonito shop gets the most activity, as this is the standard passenger car repair track. The Cumbres & Toltec passenger car leet is based in Antonito and each car gets a turn on this track. Winter is short in Antonito and to maintain a schedule, each car gets about a week in the shop. Each car is jacked o f its wheels in order to make running gear repairs. The braking system is rebuilt and serviced, and wheels can be replaced if necessary. The dra t gear is then inspected and repaired if required, although our improved track has greatly reduced the amount of repair required to each car. Since the track improvements, we have seen an over 50% reduction in required repairs.

The tender of 168 is basically complete, but we are still unsure of the ﬁnal paint scheme. The plan was to keep the tender in complete black but FRA rules may require us to paint the handles and steps silver for safety. I honestly believe the tender will look better with silver Next comes repairs to the highlights, even though it may not electrical and plumbing systems, be historically accurate. upholstery, windows, roofs, and both exterior and interior paint. It is common for a car to roll into the shop and be in the air in about 20 minutes. Each employee knows what needs to be done and the car is quickly inspected, and a job brieﬁng is held to discuss the required repairs. Track four has an ongoing project to build a new car from the ground up, and the new windows are going in at this time. With a simple walk across the parking lot, you are in the 8

historic Antonito Car Shop, where work is progressing on a D&RGW RPO that will be converted into a high-end concession car. Additionally, the restoration of Denver & Rio Grande coach 256 is coming along nicely. Future plans call for a special train to be used on weekends that will consist of ﬁve vintage D&RG coaches and Locomotive 168. Coach 292 is completed, and with two more coaches nearing completion, the dream is slowly becoming reality. Now you may be asking yourself, “Where the sta f to run the shops come from”? We actually have three master carpenters, and the rest of the team consists of train and engine crews, even Maintenance of Way employees. Everybody pitches in to help during the winter months. I hope you enjoyed your visit to Antonito for this issue, and hope you will come out to see the railroad for yourself someday.

Carina Borst: Loving Mother and the IRM's FIRST Female Fireman Evan Cihlar

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It all starts when we are young. A mode of transportation that starts o f as a hobby, then a evolves into a passion, then - for some - a career. Carina Borst’s story is a little more special... a little more unique… and a little more loving.

firewoman) the IRM will have. Her drive behind it is that she has always been goal driven. “It’s what motivates me to do my best - I always put in 120%. Since there was never a qualified female fireman, I wanted to be the first. When I have a goal, I always stick to it and complete it. I want to be the role model for the young girls coming to the museum to prove that if you put your mind to it, you can do anything.”

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I had the pleasure of interviewing Borst just before Christmas of 2018 - and let me tell you, she’s someone that everyone will want to meet. Borst is not just a rail enthusiast and preservationist, she is most importantly a loving mother of her son, Zachary. Zachary has autism and Down Syndrome, and requires consistent medical attention, and is Borst’s entire world. Borst volunteers at the Illinois Railway Museum (IRM), and when I asked Borst what got her into railroad preservation, her answer was both unique and heartfelt. “I stumbled upon it on a whim - I did not have any experience or interest in railroad preservation at all until I started taking Zachary to the IRM. I took him for train rides a ter some marathons I ran. During those visits, I really enjoyed the laid-back atmosphere and wanted to give back by volunteering. I was looking into the cab from the steps of 1630 and one of the student ﬁremen noticed my tattoo of 1630 (as my arm was dedicated to Zachary) and that’s what got my foot in the door at the IRM.”

Since Borst did not have any prior experience in railroad preservation, I was intrigued as to why she’s still working with the IRM. “The volunteer’s dedication… their drive and passion is really impressive. They have dedicated their lives to restoring cars, locomotives, electrics, diesels, and so many other things. Their passion rubs o f on you quite a bit. Part of my calling for going there is to promote the family events the IRM puts on - those events keep the museum running.” Borst does more than just maintenance around the museum and on the locomotives. She is going to be the ﬁrst female ﬁreman (or should I say

As I mentioned before, Borst also does maintenance and restoration projects around various departments at the IRM. She does most of her work in three departments: steam, track, and the museum’s magazine, Rail and Wire. Currently her main focus is on becoming a ﬁreman, but during the winter season the 1630 needs some regular repairs to ensure its operational stability, so Borst is more than happy to help with this e fort. We all know that volunteering for organizations can take a lot of time out of your day. It can be a challenge to balance personal and work duties with volunteer work, but Borst knows how to maintain that balance. “Life presents its own challenges. Mine has some more constraints, as my husband and I are raising a child that will always need attention around the 10

clock. We have to manage his care and work full time jobs, while also finding time for friends and family. I love organizing myself and making allotted time slots for each task that I need to complete. I may not be able to volunteer every week, but when I do I usually spend 4-5 hours volunteering. Many of the guys spend their whole day there but I can’t always do that… even if I wanted to… I have to do what I can with the limited amount of time that I have. Before becoming a student fireman, I would spend about four to five hours every weekend volunteering. Now that I have started training, I spend closer to ten or twelve hours volunteering at the museum firing every weekend. This includes firing up the locomotive, maintaining pressure throughout the day, and shutting her down.” Steam locomotives are not just running pieces of history - they’re time machines, too. For Borst, the second reason why she loves volunteering at the IRM is because of the public’s reaction. “When I’m in the cab waiting to depart, the coolest part is seeing all of the kids and adults peeking into the cab. Knowing that you’re a part of the excitement that overpowers their emotions is a great feeling. Sometimes I get a little kid saying, ‘Mom! It’s a girl!’”

Borst isn’t there to just have fun, she loves gaining knowledge from every experience she gets. When I asked her what her favorite locomotive or piece of equipment at the IRM to work on was, she responded just the way most of the IRM steam department would: “Uh, duh… Frisco 1630!!” Finally, I wanted to see a then-outsider’s perspective of what the future of rail preservation might look like, as many people think that this hobby is slowly dying and the next generation has lost interest. Borst responded: “Just based on Facebook and the IRM, you’re going to see a more diverse group of preservationists because it’s attracting a younger generation. More women are getting involved. I see a lot of wide-eyed, curious children that want to learn more and it is up to us to help them learn about it and get them involved as soon as they are of legal age to do so.” Carina Borst isn’t just a regular rail enthusiast or preservationist. She’s a mother that got involved in the great world that we call “steam preservation” because of her son. With that love came a new love: A love for steam, grease, coal dust, and most importantly, the love of preserving and making railroad history.

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The Steam Railroading Institute's North Pole Express

Garrett Monnin

You find yourself in rural Michigan, in the middle of a dead but peaceful country town. It's quiet and cold enough with the wind chill that any normal person would wait inside, but the anticipation has been building since you got here. The decorations around the rural Michigan town were surprisingly elegant, with reindeer that would scare tourists passing by if it weren’t for the colored lights around their antlers. Suddenly, there it was, for a second: the faint but clear sound of a whistle. At first, you think you’re just hearing things, or the bitter cold is hindering your logic. Slowly, the sleepy town starts to come to life, with festive music playing and crowds of anxious, yet excited people showing up by the second. Just as the final remnants of light slip away from the purple sky, a headlight appears and pierces the settling fog. You can’t deny the sound of a bell as the atmosphere around you intensifies. Engineer Barney expertly quills the whistle so that its sound hangs in the air and the surrounding latlands, and leaves a chill in your spine. From your vantage point by a large oak tree, you can’t believe your eyes when the light pole adjacent to the tracks backlights the steam, along with the locomotive’s presence along and the adoring crowd produces the most magical and impactful image you have ever seen. Pere Marquette 1225 brings her train to a stop, and has just brought approximately 900 passengers to the North Pole. This, is the North Pole Express.

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Those luck enough to be in Ashley, Michigan during the select weekends in November and December have witnessed this scene being repeated just over 100 times since 2006. The popularity and spreading fame for Pere Marquette 1225 is the result of the locomotive being the inspiration for the iconic Warner Bros. movie, The Polar Express. Coincidentally, the road

number 1225 matches the date of perhaps the most popular holiday of the year: Christmas. Starting in Owosso, home of the Steam Railroading Institute, the sold-out “North Pole Express” whisks 900 passengers through the scenic Michigan countryside. Many riders dress up in their pajamas in order to immerse themselves into the experience, and on-board attractions delight passengers, such as a hobo or harmonica player. Upon arrival in the town of Ashley, Michigan, the passengers disembark from their approximately hour long train ride and partake in the Ashley Country Christmas Festival. Even those not riding the North Pole Express can join in on the fun, for a small admission fee, which is ﬁgured into the ticket price for passengers. Many attractions keep everyone entertained, such as an ice carver, man on stilts, Mr. and Mrs. Claus, food vendors, and perhaps the most coveted event: the giving of the “First Gi t of Christmas”. A ter a layover of two hours, the satisﬁed passengers reboard the elegant passenger cars, which are actually named a ter Santa’s reindeer, and ride back to Owosso. Ridership has steadily increased every year, while drawing those from all around the country to smalltown Michigan. Thanks to the e forts of the Steam Railroading Institute, Great Lakes Central Railroad,

1225 poses for numerous rail-fans and passengers before the 10am train on Sat, December 15, 2018. 14

and the municipalities of both Owosso and Ashley, thousands of people can escape their everyday lives for a while and ﬁlly live in the spirit of Christmas.

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The “North Pole Express” also attracts railfans from around the globe, who pursue the 1225 as it runs Northwest. At ﬁrst glance, the landscape between Owosso and Ashley seems barren and boring, but if one looks closely, many interesting places to photograph or ﬁlm the locomotive can be noted. For the weekend of December 15th and 16th, I found myself chasing the locomotive with several friends. As if witnessing the 1225 in action isn’t great enough, doing it with dear friends made the experience much more enjoyable, and I now have stories that I will never forget. For more on my own chase, head over to www.riamindustryheadlines.com.

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In addition to chasing the locomotive, I was granted access to the “Christmas Engine” while she and her crew waited overnight to haul more passengers the next day. The locomotive needed to be turned on the 90-foot New Bu falo Turntable, which were originally used by the Pere Marquette in New Bu falo, Michigan. Berkshires like the 1225 and others o ten utilized this turntable, and upon arrival at the Steam Railroading Institute, the turntable was extended to 100 feet, in order to easier accommodate 1225 and other large equipment. During the Holiday Season, the turntable is decorated in Christmas lights, and truly looks impressive at night. A ter 1225 eased onto the turntable and was turned, she paused for a brief moment for the small group of volunteers and authorized photographers. Then, the engine eased forward onto a track near the engine house, and was e fectively parked for the night. I was shocked and pleasantly surprised when I was invited into the cab, and the engine crew was very friendly, and I truly admire their ability to make me feel like an old friend, even though this was my ﬁrst time up there. Due to the late hour, I thanked everyone and went to get some rest before the next 15

day. To my delight, Sunday morning proved to be quite foggy. I ended up visiting two locations that I had shot at the previous day, and ended my experience with the Steam Railroading Institute and 1225 at Carland’s vintage grain elevator, which is the shot of 1225 that everyone needs to get. For several minutes before the train arrived, the exhaust could be heard as the locomotive works to get its train up to track speed. As the grimy drivers lew by me, I couldn’t help but marvel at the beauty of the appearance of a workaday

Just a ter being turned, 1225 pauses for photos before being spotted onto a siding for the night.

locomotive. There’s just such an authentic vibe that no clean engine can provide. At the end of the weekend, I had a newfound appreciation for the Steam Railroading Institute, and the hard work and dedication required to make the North Pole Express a smashing success. The great folks of the SRI made me feel like I was a longtime friend, and their hospitality surpassed all of my expectations. I plan to return to Owosso in the future, and hope to contribute my time and resources in order for the public to continue to learn about steam era railroad technology. For more information about the North Pole Express, Pere Marquette 1225, and more, visit www.michigansteamtrain.com or call 989-725-9464. Who knows, maybe I’ll see one of you in a Michigan cornﬁeld.

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Firing the Future: Rising up at the Strasburg Rail Road

For many children, the dream of being the engineer of a steam locomotive has a very short life span. As most children age, they lose interest in trains and ﬁnd new ways to entertain themselves. For the few that keep that dream close to heart, the desire to make it come true grows ever stronger as the years go by. They are the future of railroading, the ones to who are tasked with keeping these incredible machines alive. This is not a job for the faint of heart. It is challenging, hot, hard, demanding, and very dirty work. To most people it doesn’t exactly sound like a dream job. But for the rest of us, it doesn’t get much better than that.

Alex Merrill & Max Harris

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Growing up in a small town just outside of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, I had a pretty normal childhood. I had awesome parents,

Alex Merrill(le t) and coworker Mike Cronk (right) pose in the East Strasburg Yard while SRC 89 pulls in with the hourly passenger train, and SRC 90 sits with a freight train. Photo by Chris Pollock.

good friends, a wonderful home, and four older siblings whom I loved to ﬁght with. What made my childhood extra special to me was the love my dad had for trains, both real and toy. I acquired the same love early on, and it hasn’t slowed down a bit. This was a special bond that I shared with my father and

two older brothers. This bond would go on to be something that united us in one of our worst times. When I was 15, my dad passed away following a ﬁve-year battle with cancer. It shattered my world. When it seemed like all was lost, my brothers and I rediscovered our love for trains, now stronger than ever. Trains were a way to cope with our new reality, and little did I know that this passion would lead me to places I could have only ever dreamed of.

My ﬁrst hands-on experience with steam came at age 14 when my brother and I volunteered on PRR 643, a B4a Class 0-6-0 switcher at the Williams Grove Railroad outside Dillsburg, Alex is seen here on the front of SRC 8618 a ter test moving the NKP 757 in the Railroad Mueseum Pennsylvania. I immersed myself in of Pennsylvania railyard in the Summer of 2018. Part of Alex's job as a conductor has him the world of steam locomotive working on freight and special moves, like this one. Photo by Chris Pollock. maintenance and operation there. I 17

became a ﬁreman on #643 and learned the ins and outs of working on engines. The greatest thrill for me was being able to run the engine, even if it was under tight supervision. I le t Williams Grove a ter just one year to focus on personal matters, but I will never forget my time on that engine and the lessons it taught me. My experience there got me hooked, and the steam bug had fully bitten me. In just a few years I would be able to get my hands dirty once again at a place I only ever dreamed of.

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As I was preparing to graduate high school in Alex poses for the camera in the cab of NKP 757 on the second test move of the Berkshire of the Summer in 2018. Photo by Chris Pollock. 2015, I was looking for a part-time job. I had looked at all sorts of places, expecting to end up with a boring job that would get me through college. That changed when my older brother Ryan, who works at the Strasburg Rail Road, invited me to apply to work at Strasburg. I printed the application out from the website, ﬁlled it out, and sent it in with my brother to work. A few weeks later I received a phone call to come in for an interview with the general manager and was hired shortly a ter. I jumped at the opportunity, and I haven’t looked back. I started out working in Value Added, which consists of our Cranky Car and Pump Car rides, as well as our 15-inch gauge live steam locomotive, the Cagney. Working on the Cagney got me hooked on steam once again, and it hasn’t gone away. In January 2016, I was promoted to train service as a brakeman Alex is doing his normal duties of "smiling and waving" here as a trainee, and I qualiﬁed as a brakeman in May of that regular passenger trip departs from Strasburg in October, 2018. Photo by Geo frey Donahue.

Alex steps aside from 89 to ﬁll his water jug in preperation for a day of ﬁring her. Photo by John Riley.

year. A ter being a brakeman for a few years I was promoted to a student fireman in July 2018. Over the past several months I’ve been able to fire the same steam engines I idolized as a young boy, and the excitement I feel when working on these magnificent machines never goes away. I would be remiss to take for granted the experience opportunities that I’ve been given by working at SRC. More importantly, I am grateful for the friends I’ve gained over these past few years. The people who have mentored me over these past three and a half years are like family to me. I can’t say enough about what they’ve done for me. I’ve been completely immersed in this world of railroad preservation and it’s incredible to work on these massive machines. It’s also very exciting to see what other groups and organizations are working on, seeing other steam engines alive and well, and too see some pretty awesome projects for the future.

As I prepare to graduate from Mount St. Mary’s University with a degree in business management, I have come to the point where I need to decide what’s next for me. I believe I am going to stay in the railroad industry, keeping the wheels of history moving. Being considered a member of the next generation of steam railroaders is a great honor but also a great responsibility. There is a great deal of information to learn and know, and it’s up to us to keep the ﬁres going. I encourage anyone who is interested in preservation to get involved somewhere, volunteer, get your hands dirty, learn as you go, and have fun with it too. What you learn along the way can open doors you never imagined and take you places you have only dreamed of. I’m living out a dream, and many others are too. Live out that childhood dream. You won’t regret it because it really doesn’t get much better than this.

Alex is showing a young visitor his pocket watch a ter ﬁring an hourly train. Alex feels that it is important to be kind to all young guests at the railroad to help inspire the next generation of railroads. Photo by Chris Pollock

Alex Merrill is a 22 year old college senior from Mechanicsburg, PA. Alex started working with trains at a young age, as many of his family members were railroaders as well. He now works as a student ﬁreman at the Strasburg Rail Road in Strasburg, PA, with plans to eventually become an engineer at the railroad. 19

Kitbashing an HO Southern Pacific SD40T-2

If you model the SP anywhere from 1984 to the end in 1996 like I do, then you must have at least one or two SD40T-2. There is no doubt that the SD40T-2, and SD45T-2 were the SP’s two most popular locomotives, with the SD40T-2 being the much more successful of the two. There are there are some manufacturers today that make excellent models of the SD40T-2, and they are all great models and all capture the SD40T-2 very well. I would order more, but I don't really have that kind of money right now, so I built one.

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Like I do with all my models, I start by picking a road number to replicate. Since I started modeling SP, an SD40T-2 has been on my list of locomotives to build, and since I've been thinking about backdating my era of modeling to 1986, now was the perfect time to do it. With nearly 250 road numbers to choose from, I ended up choosing SP 8572. As always, I study prototype pictures of the locomotive I’m replicating to get an idea of where everything is located. That way I can get everything right the ﬁrst time, and not have to go back and ﬁx anything later. Now with everything planned out, and a locomotive to replicate, let's get this build in motion.

Clayton Cook

Like almost all my builds, I like to use Athearn Blue Box locomotives. I like to use these because they are a great canvas for any detailer, as they are very durable, extremely easy to detail, and you can find them for relatively cheap prices. I picked up an undecorated Athearn Blue Box SD40T-2 on eBay a while back, so that’s what I will be using for this build. The first thing I did was let people know that this was a Southern Pacific locomotive by installing the SP five light package. Details West has parts for the SP five light package, and I have a few laying around, but I only have so many. I solved this problem by making a rubber mold of the SP five light package for both the front and rear of the unit. A ter the rubber mold had hardened, I took the original parts out of the mold, and proceeded to cast the parts I needed out of resin. A ter the resin had hardened, sanded it down to give the paint something to adhere to. Now that all the resin casting is done, it was time to start making some parts out of styrene. I like to make my radio antenna stand out of 0.010 inch styrene and 0.016 inch brass wire. I use an original Athearn radio antenna stand as a template for the

styrene base. I carefully hold the stand in place with my ďŹ ngers, and then take an X-Acto knife and score the styrene around the stand. I also like to make my sunshades out of 0.010 inch styrene, using the brass original as a template. I glued this in place with ca-glue and let this dry overnight. As always I drilled out the holes for the grab irons and li t rings with a number 74 drill bit. I installed the li t rings ďŹ rst, as these will be painted with the model, and I install the grab irons will be installed a ter the model is painted as some of the grab irons interfere with the decals. A ter adding the correct anticlimber, and doing some styrene work in places, I went on eBay and had to order a few parts to make this model ready for paint, all I can do at this point is wait for the parts to arrive. That pretty much wraps up this part of the build. In the next edition, I will be adding the parts I ordered, onto the model, painting the model, decaling the model, and of course an outdoor photoshoot of the completed model.

HO Scale GP38-2 Rebuild and Repaint Part 2

Clayton Cook

If you recall the previous edition of Railroading In America Magazine, then you will know I started building Southern Paciﬁc GP38-2 number 4823 in HO Scale. In this edition, I will show you the steps, process, and tools I use to paint and decal my models. However, before I can show you any of that, there are a couple things that I need to do before I paint the model. The big thing I missed in the last edition was detailing the fuel tank, so let's do that ﬁrst. I like to use the Athearn RTR fuel tank detail for my models because I have a lot of those details. Now that all the fuel tank detail is on the model, let's get to painting.

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Before I get to painting, I need to wash the model. I do this with warm water, dish soap, and a paintbrush to really get into the hard to reach spots of the model. Be sure to clean the model thoroughly, as this is a very important step to a good paint job. Now with the model clean, set it aside to dry. I like to put a fan on the model to speed up the drying process, then I usually let the model sit for a day to ensure that it is completely dry. At this point, do not touch the model with your bare hands; if you do, you’ll have to wash the model all over again. Now that the model is completely dry, it’s time for the exciting part: painting. For painting, I like to use a two stage airbrush, which is one where you push down for air, and pull back for paint. The ﬁrst coat will be primer, to give the paint something to adhere to. I used Badger Model lex Primer

Grey for this coat. Normally I would thin the paint down to get an even coat, but this paint was so thin out of the bottle, I didn’t need to do that. I sprayed the paint through the airbrush using ten pounds of air so I could apply the primer evenly, and build it up in layers to get the result I wanted. I let this dry for 24 hours. Once the primer had dried, I could move on to the base coat.

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One thing I learned from airbrushing is, paint your lightest colors on first. For the red, I use TruColor-066: SP Scarlet Red. Since this paint is relatively thick, I added five drops of thinner to the paint. This gets applied only in areas that need red. Once the red had dried, I masked it o f to get ready to spray the grey. The grey I use is Tru-Color-065: SP Lark Dark Grey. Just like the red, this gets thinned with five drops of thinner. A ter the paint had dried, I sealed the paint with one coat of clear coat. This gives a shine to the model, and makes the decals look painted on. Now that all the paintwork is done, and I’ve given everything 24 hours to dry, it’s time to put the decals on. The decal sheet I used for this model is Microscale Decal Sheet 87-447, SP/SSW Diesels 1980-1991. For applying decals, I use warm water, a pair of tweezers, an X-Acto knife, some Q-tips, and Walthers Solvaset. I start by applying the red SP wing decals to the nose. Once I have cut out the decal, I place it in warm water for two minutes, then I grab the decal paper with my tweezers and place the wet decal paper on the model.

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Then I grab my X-Acto knife and use it to gently pull the decal onto the model. Once the decal is in the position I want it, I take a Q-tip and roll it over the decal to squeeze out any water that may be trapped in or underneath the decal. I then finish this process by brushing solvaset over the decal to fix it in place permanently. A ter all the decals are applied, I seal everything with three coats of Testors Dull Coat. when you spray a model with dull coat, make sure you either mask o f or remove all lights and windows. If you don’t, the dull coat will fog up the windows and the model won't look right. A ter the dull coat had dried, I installed small details such as wipers and grab irons. I painted the wipers with a little bit of silver paint on the edge of my knife, and I carefully put the silver paint onto the wiper. I painted the grab irons for the front an rear of the unit SP Scarlet Red, and I painted the grab irons on the side and top of the short hood with SP Lark Dark Grey. That pretty much completes this model. I’m extremely happy with how this one turned out. A ter I finished it, I put it in front of SP 4843, and it was a perfect match. I have plans to install DCC and Sound in both 4843 and 4823 in the future, so look for that in a future edition of Railroading in America Magazine.

Kato's N Scale Spirit of the Union Pacific SD70ACE and Excursion Passenger Cars, Reviewed Walker Wood

Kato recently began shipping their new models of Union Pacific’s “Spirit of the Union Pacific” diesel locomotive, honoring all five branches of the Military. Its real-life counterpart, which was released in 2017, has toured the Union Pacific system as part of their O fice Car Special. Kato has previously released a pack of seven excursion cars to compliment their model of Union Pacific’s 844 steam locomotive, which was released in 2016. These cars compliment “The Spirit”, as well.

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The release of this engine is a first for N Scale, as the 1943 is the first SD70AH that Kato has made that features a headlight that is mounted on the nose, as opposed to the standard high mounted headlight on top of the cab. In addition, Kato is the first to release a model of the 1943 from anyone in N Scale. The detail on the engine is very intricate, and the model looks just as fine as the prototype. It features separately applied handrails, anti-climbers and a Nathan K5LLA air horn on the long hood, which is true to the prototype. The locomotive’s paint job has been recreated very well here, with all paint matching the prototype. Kato has included additional impressive features, such as LED headlights and ditch lights, etched metal details in an injection-molded plastic body, and of course Kato’s kinematic couplers. Now, onto the passenger cars. Kato’s Union Pacific Excursion Set was released at the same time as their UP 844 model, along with auxiliary water tenders for the 844, all three sold separately. The seven-car passenger set includes a power car to supply electricity and heat for the train, one crew sleeper, one museum car (also known as the lag car for its painted American lag on both sides), one coach, dome coach, dome diner, and business/observation car. Kato put lots of time and e fort into detailing

these cars, and their hard work really does show. Two of the cars, the power car (UPP 207) and the observation car (UPP 119, “Kenefick”) feature brand new tooling. All of the cars use an injection-molded plastic body and feature few separately applied details, which is understandable for passenger cars. All have kinematic couplers and the proper diaphragms that can be seen on most historic passenger equipment today. The colors on the cars match the prototype, and the lag car was faithfully recreated to match the prototype. None of the doors open on the cars, which is normal for N Scale passenger cars. Overall, the Spirit of the Union Pacific 1943 and the Excursion Set are a very nice combination. They both feature solid detailing and correct paint. These models are must-haves for any N Scale modeler, especially those with an interest for the Union Pacific.

MTH Amfleet Passenger Car Review:

Nicholas Smith Capstone Exclusive Paint Scheme

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Part of what I enjoy about this hobby is that we, as modelers, have the ability to model any sort of train, even if their real-life counterpart was short-lived. I’ve always been a fan of trains that were only a around for a few years before either being scrapped, sold, or stored, and that is just the case with these passenger cars. Around 2000, Amtrak began to overhaul their Am leet passenger cars in a new project known as the “Capstone”. This project involved overhauling the interiors of Am leets in the 82xxx number series, with new seats and redecorated lounges. Most notably, the Capstone cars were painted into a new paint scheme modeled a ter the Amtrak Acela paint scheme. These cars were to be used on a new service called “Acela Regional,” which was a regional service on Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor designed to be faster than traditional regional trains. However, this service didn’t last long at all: While the overhauling of the passenger cars continued, all of the repainted Am leets were returned to the Phase 4 scheme in 2003, and Acela Regional trains became a thing of the past. Many former Capstone Am leets still roam the system featuring the beneﬁts of the rebuild system, but without the Acela inspired paint scheme. Modeling this unique opportunity used to be impossible in O Gauge, but now, thanks to MTH and Nicholas Smith Trains, you can own a six car train set and bring the Acela Regional back on your layout! MTH has been making Am leet cars for several years in a variety of paint schemes, both real and fantasy. Now, for the ﬁrst time ever in O

Max Harris

Passenger Car Features Metal Wheels and Axles LED Flicker-Free Lighting Die-Cast 4-Wheel Trucks Operating Die-Cast Metal Couplers Needle-Point Axles Detailed Car Interiors 1:48 Scale Dimensions Unit Measures: 76" x 2 1/2" x 3 1/4" Operates On O-42 Curves 26

Gauge, MTH has produced a four pack and a two pack of these cars exclusively through Nicholas Smith Trains. The four pack includes three coaches and a cafe car, and the two car set has another coach and a business class car. The paint on these cars is accurate and crisp, with the color samples coming from real Amtrak color guides, and the cars even have a chrome ďŹ nish to give them the prototypical stainless steel look of a real Am leet. The cars feature lighted interiors, with marker lights on the rear of each car and a toggle switch for the lights. On the underside of the cars, there are several cast in details, and the trucks replicate those of an actual Am leet, featuring separately applied brake pieces and open side-frames, per the prototype. The sides of the cars are ribbed and have a red stripe on the bottom, with seldom details on the sides. In the middle of the cars, you can see the painted stripe in the Acela inspired scheme, which goes around several windows on each car. At each end of the cars, there are cast in doors with a small window above that denotes the type of car, whether coach, business, or cafe. On the ends of each car there is a rubber diaphragm, and marker lights on both side. In addition there are several separately applied grab irons and plenty of rivet details, all above the operating coupler. The interiors of the cars feature detailed seats and tables in the cafe, and even a number of scale painted ďŹ gures. The car interiors are lighted with LED lights that won't licker on switches, guaranteed. The cars are well built overall, and will last much longer than the actual Capstone paint did.

Just like the prototype, not many of these cars exist in O Scale. The cars are exclusive items through Nicholas Smith Trains and only 50 of each set was made. If you are interested in purchasing this piece of Amtrak history for your O Scale layout, the four pack goes for $409.99, and the two pack goes for $204.99. Several of these sets have already been sold, so donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait any longer! Call Nicholas Smith at 610-353-8585 or visit them on the web at www.nicholassmithtrains.com to order your own set of Capstones. While the Capstone paint job didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t last long, as a modeler you can bring life back to this forgotten project and revive this unique paint scheme in 1:48s scale.

The Pros and Cons of Using Smoke Units Smoke units are something many model railroad enthusiasts enjoy, as they add another element of realism and visual appeal to a model railroad. Although modern-day smoke units are much cleaner and safer than their predecessors, there are still many pros and cons to using smoke. Smoke units started out as a heating dish in a locomotive that would heat small pellets up and create smoke. Then, the gravity-fed smoke unit was invented, which used a heating dish and liquid oils to create smoke. Now, fan-driven smoke units are the norm in today’s models. These units feature a heating element that burns luid to create the smoke, then the fan forces the smoke out of the stack. Although they add realism and even scents to your layout, what are some of the cons to these highvolume smoke devices? While smoke can add a more sensual experience to your train room, consider these e fects of using smoke before you blast those fans on high.

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prized models.

Evan Cihlar

I don’t mean to sound like an old ash pit, so let’s go over some of the pros that smoke units have. One pro is that modern day smoke luids come in many di ferent and bizarre scents. Just to name a few that stick out against the others are bacon and eggs, barbeque, hot chocolate, fresh cut lawn, coal, christmas, lemon, cinnamon, and so so many other scents can really bring your layout to life. For example, Max Harris, our publisher and adman uses the barbeque scent in his diner’s smoke unit - adding another small scent to your layout that gives the illusion you are in a di ferent realm. I personally like the christmas scent as it refreshes the air and is enjoyable all year. Garrett Monnin, our VP and COO, likes the cut lawn smoke luid and big boy premium blend for his layout as it is stationed in a rural setting with dirty steam locomotives rolling past airfields and a grain elevator. Another pro with smoke luids is how they can create the illusion of steam e fects in a steam There are actually quite a few cons to engine. As we all know, a smoke unit either in the operating smoke units on your layout. The most smoke stack or exhaust port is common, however significant one, in my opinion, is how using smoke forces you to clean your track much more o ten than normal. I found out that when running my locomotives frequently over the summer, having the smoke units on required more track maintenance, as the signal frequency drops in DCS. While exploring the loss in connection, I noticed thick amounts of grease on the track, even though I cleaned it fairly recently. As a result, unexpected power loss increased significantly. I found myself cleaning my track on an almost weekly basis while running trains with smoke on, and with a layout like mine, that’s a royal pain in the caboose. Additionally, the oily smoke luid can also be an issue as it is near impossible to remove from locomotive shells. Although steam locomotives and diesels would eventually become dirty, glossy oil was not a part of that dirt and grime, and can harm the look of your

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companies like Lionel have been innovating new ways to integrate smoke units into unconventional places. Lionel’s “whistle steam smoke e fect” is the most common, but just recently in their Vision Line NYC Niagaras they released a “water scoop smoke e fect” where the tender has a smoke unit inside of it. The smoke has outlets on either side of the tender that gives the illusion of used steam from the water scoop operating. Lionel also has a few steam locomotives with either blowdown smoke or cylinder cock smoke e fects, adding a nice touch of realism to the models. Little kids always enjoy the smoke units in the models as they’re fascinating to watch and makes it look like they are real locomotives. In conclusion, smoke units are fun to operate but they come with some caveats. Dirty track and the liquid oil sticking to the locomotive shells are just a few cons. The pros can outweigh the cons if you like adding realism to your layout. Certain scents can bring you into a new world, and provide pretty cool e fects like the whistle steam smoke e fect or blow down smoke. I will continue not using smoke units all the time due to the frequency I would have to clean my 600+ feet of track, but I will turn them on when friends come over and there’s a time to show o f all the features of a digital system. Write to us on Facebook (@railroadinginamerica) and share your thoughts on smoke units! 30

ILLUSTRATIONS BY JOHN BRAHANEY

Edition 10 of Railroading in America Magazine was made possible by... Evan Cihlar, President and CEO Garrett Monnin, VP and COO Max Harris, Publisher and Adman Jonah Collins, Editor-in-Chief

Special Thanks To...

Christopher Pollock, John Riley, Andy Wartman and Geo frey Donahue for submitting photos! Alex Merrill and Rich Melvin for guest writing! Nicholas Smith Trains for giving us a product to review! John Brahaney for drawing a comic! Our Readers for their continued support!

Walker Wood, Writer Adam Zappacosta, Writer Carlos Llamas, Writer Clayton Cook, Writer Riley Ginger, Writer

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Edition 11 of Railroading in America Magazine Publishes March 29, 2019!

Note from the Publisher

I am o ten asked how I manage to make time for train related activities on a daily basis. Between my highly rigorous high school classes, tons of homework, several clubs where I actively participate, and sleeping, it can be hard to find time to rail fan or work on my model railroad. Yet somehow I always find time to squeeze some trains into my already overbooked day. In my fi teen minutes of rest when I get home from school, I can usually be found running a train on my layout or doing some scenery work, or whenever I am driving home from a certain a ter school activity, I always take the scenic route which involves a stretch of road that parallels a Norfolk Southern mainline. Sometimes I’ll even do homework in my train room, just to be around the trains (this is a horrible tactic however, as I always end up distracted and running a train rather than taking notes). These things brighten my day, because trains are always there for me. I sometimes think that having such little, yet precious time with my trains everyday is part of what makes them special. I cherish all the time I get to spend with my trains because it makes my days better and brings a smile to my face. They make my life better, and help ease the pain of failing a physics test or going three weeks without a good night’s rest. Both model and real, you can bet your life that if I see a train, I’m going to stop for a second, observe, and smile.

Max Harris

RIAM Publisher and Advertisement Manager

Railroading in America Magazine

www.railroadinginamerica.com contact@railroadinginamerica.net (888)-204-0087