So this past Saturday, my dad and I went to the Clinton Central Model Railroad Club's winter open house in Castanea, PA.  I am so sorry that I didn't bring my canon because I didn't think it would be as amazing as it was.  Hopefully, if my Dad gets a website job from them, we might get a membership out of it, and I can maybe get some more info and photos.  Years ago, they moved into an old New York Central passenger station and they have been restoring the station as well as using it to house their HUGE HO layout. 

 

From Trains.com:

"The club is located in the former New York Central railroad station in Castanea. The club has transformed the old freight room into a continuously growing HO scale model railroad layout. They have developed a collection of railroad artifacts which includes an extensive railroad library. Donations of railroad and model railroad items are always appreciated to continue the expansion of our displays.

In addition to the annual Holiday Open House activities, a project is currently under way by the Clinton County Historical Society and the Clinton Central Model Railroad Club to renovate this historic station to its previous condition in the heyday of railroading. A new historically correct roof is being installed on the station. Public support for this extensive project can be made through tax deductable donations. Details are available at the station or the Historical Society."

 

I apologize again for the quality of some pictures, I only had my phone. But my dad saved the day with his Lumix.

Both my dad and I took the photos:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The streets are white because they haven't put the in actual road material yet.

 

I was looking at the drawings on the white paper and there is a little town square and some other things planned for that big blank space.

 

You can kind of see the plans drawn on the paper.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Awesome

 

 

See the kid with the white hoodie?  That guy loves Williamsport. That's all I gotta say. ;-)

I didn't even realize I was in the photo haha.  I was too busy talking to the yard master aka, the Club President.

 

 

I LOVE the little town.  It looks so good already.  This is where the park/square will be.

 

 

 

See those two cars in front of the building?  Those are the biggest HO scale box cars I have ever seen.

 

 

 

 

And that's all folks. 

I should also note that the layout is all DCC, so it's pretty high tech.  The sounds from the locomotives were so loud that you had to raise your voice when one passed.

 

Holy smoke! There's already a huge amount of time and effort in all that trackwork. When they get the natural and built environment fleshed out around it, it will be something fantastic!

^Oh yeah I know.  I HOPE my dad can do a website for them because I offered to do the photography.  That place is so amazing though.  I seriously felt like the 5 year old kid next to me when the big trains went by. 

^Oh yeah I know. I HOPE my dad can do a website for them because I offered to do the photography. That place is so amazing though. I seriously felt like the 5 year old kid next to me when the big trains went by.

 

hahaha

 

I went to Entertrainment Junction in Cincinnati a few days ago -- the largest indoor model train display in the United States. I about wet myself when I walked in and was greeted by a massive overhead bridge for a train, and running water and all...

 

I love model railroad sets.

I know New Jersey is kind a far from you, but if you ever get the chance to go, check out Northlandz. I used to go there a lot as it was a half hour from where I used to live.

It is amazing.  If you want to see an awesome layout, it is definitely worth the trip.

http://www.northlandz.com/

 

Oh, and if my dad and I do become members, this thread will become an update thread for both the station, and the layout.

If my dad does their website, I'll definitely post it.

Now THAT is awesome!

I'm in NJ all the time, so I'll have to make a stop!

Cool!

In the early 1980s at GE I knew a process engineer who was working on his Master's degree. He was an avid model railroader with a big house with a full basement, where he had built a 20 x 30 foot HO layout.

 

For his Master's thesis he designed a software/hardware system that would let him select destinations for up to three trains, and when launched, detect the location of each train, start it, control its progress, and control the interlockings to optimize time and deliver each train to its destination.

Very Cool Stuff!

In the early 1980s at GE I knew a process engineer who was working on his Master's degree. He was an avid model railroader with a big house with a full basement, where he had built a 20 x 30 foot HO layout.

 

For his Master's thesis he designed a software/hardware system that would let him select destinations for up to three trains, and when launched, detect the location of each train, start it, control its progress, and control the interlockings to optimize time and deliver each train to its destination.

 

Man I wonder if he knew that in 20 years you could do that with a DCC wiring and control system.  Some of those systems get so sophisticated that you can do what he did.  That is pretty amazing.

I went to Entertrainment Junction in Cincinnati a few days ago -- the largest indoor model train display in the United States. I about wet myself when I walked in and was greeted by a massive overhead bridge for a train, and running water and all...

 

I love model railroad sets.

 

If you were there on Saturday, I probably saw you.  I took my kids and that place was MUCH more than I expected.  It was a gigantic, first class train display.

When I was young, I had a bunch of buildings from that layout.  I should donate it all to them.  Currently it's all in a storage unit enjoyed by no one.  I'm sort of critical on this, but Hayward glued his buildings together as a child and his craftsmanship was just a tad bit better.

 

 

- hopes they aren't checking this thread -

pretty cool. much better than the one i had as a kid. or i should say my dad made, ha.

 

factoid -- the mit model railroad club directly lead to the development of computers and the internet!

I should mention that my dad is now their webmaster.  Stay tuned for more.

So Tuesday night, my dad and I went over to the CCMRR to talk with the president about doing a website.  I got to run a few trains, which was cool because I never used a DCC setup before.  I also got a few more photos.  When the website takes off, I'll post a link for those of you who are interested.

 

They had a few things missing this time since they are still working on the layout.

A whole block was gone and a residential area was also gone.  But the nice thing is, it's a model.  Those buildings will be back soon.  :wink:

 

Small Block

 

This diesel is their own CCMRR locomotive with their paint scheme. They also have their own decals, but this hasn't gotten them yet.

 

The roundhouse

 

Looks a little different without the crowd of people

 

Yard Tower

 

Another small yard in the far section of the layout

 

 

HO scale urban photography

 

Website is online for those who are interested.

www.ccmrr.org

Oh man.  So much fun tonight haha.  We put two Conrail locomotives together, an EMD SD70MAC and a GE Dash 9, and pulled a pretty long freight train.  Fun times.

 

Their own Horseshoe Curve:

 

The train before we added Conrail power:

 

The roundhouse with the pre-Conrail freight train rumbling past:

 

The Dash 9 pulling a passenger train:

 

Here she comes.  The freight with Conrail power:

 

This is when the 5 year old in me came out in full force:

 

About to cross with the horn blasting:

 

I guess you can say I like Conrail.  I also like Norfolk Southern, but they don't have any of those:

 

Leaving town as fast as it came:

 

Maybe I'll do a full photo thread of the town when it's finished  :-P:

 

Coming back for another round:

 

Probably the most fun I had since I joined over a month ago:

 

I love this building:

 

Find more photos here.

www.ccmrr.org 

Great stuff! I can imagine what a ball you're having!

 

In the early '80s I spent a few days in the small yard at Orrville, Ohio (home to Smucker's jams & jellies - yum!) with NKP 765, alongside Conrail's former PRR main west of the big hill at Massillon. There was a lot of heavy Conrail freight, and they'd come barrelling through town with lots of horsepower on the head end, and then a pair of locomotives pushing. Heck of a commotion. A little while later, we'd see the helpers running light, heading back west. I don't know where they put them on, but it was an impressive show.

 

Before Conrail would allow the Pittsburgh excursions over their tracks with 765, they had to be reassured that 765 would be able to maintain 70mph with the passenger train so as not to get in the way of their freights.

That's pretty cool. That's crazy that the NKP had to go that fast. I bet that was fun. Some of the guys at the club went down to brickyard crossing in Altoona a few weeks ago. They said there were so many trains coming in and going out. Some two at a time on the outside tracks with one going the opposite way in the center track. All NS of course but they saw a bunch of older Conrail units also. I'll probably go with them the next time they go and then I'll head over to horseshoe curve afterwards.

 

My dad wants to classify a train at the club soon. It'll be fun because he'll be doing that with a switcher in the yard, and then we can still run two trains or more around the main line. It'll be interesting.

So tonight I had some fun with my camera.

 

PRR Beauty:

 

SD90MAC:

 

CCRR passenger locomotive:

 

A different kind of Challenger this time:

 

A hilltop industrial village:

 

Loader:

 

Old Truck:

 

Daily Bros.:

 

Unpainted:

 

So my dad wanted me to take photos of the old control/switchboards for the layout.  They are pretty detailed and extensive.

 

Turn Table Control:

 

A switch board for the beginning ladder of the main yard:

 

The Main Yard switch board.  Those doorbell buttons trigger the magnetic un-couplers.  You place the train over the magnets and then hit the button, and the cars will un-couple:

 

PRR Steam Power:

 

The big yard at the end of the layout that can hold about 12 trains:

 

 

The Pennsylvania Railroad is ready to roll again :-):

 

Well since KJP posted a video of that AWESOME train layout, I figured I'd update this thread.  A while back in September I took photos while running trains.  Also, we are preparing the layout and the station for our annual open houses.  I'll definitely take some photos before and during, since that's when the layout is in full force. 

Enjoy this short set.

 

Scenic:

 

Pennsylvania's Best:

 

Conrail Quality:

 

Meeting at the Curve:

 

PRR Beauty:

 

Gorgeous:

 

Rolling stock:

 

Stay tuned for the open house!!  If any of you are interested making the trip, check out the website for information on the open houses.

They layout is definitely starting to shape up quite nicely.  It would be cool with the terrain is massed out on each side of that bridge. 

 

Quite a view of that railyard on the website.  I'd probably mess it up on accident with those complicated switchboards....it'd probably end up like this:

 

 

So that's what people mean when they say my living room looks like a train wreck. They're putting it politely.

Haha those videos are great.  I'd love to see that bridge be put to use.  We are trying to figure out a way we can incorporate it into the layout.  And about the switches, it took me a good three months to fully grasp the whole board and what each button does.  I still have to fully learn the other boards on the other side of the layout. 

If you are interested, our 5 open houses are coming up.

 

Tuesday, December 15, 6 P.M. – 9 P.M. Saturday, December 19, 10 A.M. – 4 P.M. Tuesday, December 29, 6 P.M. – 9 P.M.

 

Saturday, January 23, 10 A.M. – 4 P.M. Saturday, February 20, 10 A.M. – 4 P.M.

 

From our website:

The Clinton Central Model Railroad is located at 15 Logan Avenue, in Castanea, PA. We are just minutes from Lock Haven, PA. Take the Lock Haven exit off of Route US-220. Follow the signs to Castanea (turn south at top of ramp). Cross the bridge and take the first left on to Allison St. Go two blocks and turn left on Logan Ave. The station is on the right.

 

From Ohio:

Take Interstate 80 east to US-220 North. Take US-220 to the Lock Haven/Castanea Exit. There will be orange signs posted a long the route.

 

From East of PA:

Take Interstate 80 west to the Williamsport/Interstate 180 exit. Follow I-180/US-220 through Williamsport, all the way to Lock Haven. Get off at the Lock Haven/Castanea Exit. Follow the Orange signs.

 

For directions from anywhere else, use this Google Map.

Use the Get Directions feature and put in your address. For some reason, Google has our address one block away from the station.  It's not hard to find though.

 

If you can make the trip, it's an awesome layout to see. Lock Haven and Williamsport are nearby, Williamsport is a half hour east along US-220, so there are other places to see also while you're here.

For the last month we have been doing heavy scenery work. We are just about done with the plaster and we're almost ready for paint, grass, and other fine details.

These photos are already dated but they show the amount of progress that has been done in such a short amount of time.

 

Plaster, plaster, plaster. This was taken almost two weeks ago:

 

These rocks were just put in, painted, and are getting re-painted with a new technique we just learned:

 

This is just a fraction of what was done the other night:

 

I'll update this soon. Tomorrow night I'm going out and who knows what all we'll get finished.

These are from Tuesday night's (4/27/10) meeting.

 

The scrapyard is fully fleshed out now and about 4 hours after the photo was taken, a metal fence was starting to go up around it:

 

This is the main road leading out of town.  We had to widen that curve before the crossing because it was wayy too narrow when I took this photo:

 

This is the New York Central station which houses the club.  That fake water tower next to the building was built by the Clinton County Historical Society and is intended to serve as an information kiosk once they turn the old RR right-of-way into rails-to-trails:

Great progress! For me, the most amazing part of creating a good layout would be the landscaping; recreating man-made objects is pretty straightforward, and with practice I think I could master most of that. Recreating natural forms in miniature looks like it takes a special artistic talent set that I haven't developed.

 

A rail-trail should bring a lot of visitors to the site. I've heard many railroad enthusiasts denounce rail-trails as though trail development brought about the demise of the railroad line, but that's not the case; trail development is initiated on ROW where rail operations already have been discontinued, and it preempts encroachment by commercial and residential uses, and preserves the ROW for possible future re-utilization for rail service. Rail-trails sometimes bring tourism-related small-business opportunities to languishing small communities.

Wow, I haven't updated this thread in a while.  The peninsula looks amazing.  I'll post older photos leading up to the ones I took a couple weeks ago.

 

The nearly completed scrap yard.  5/5/2010:

 

Almost the same view as the last photo in the previous post, but with grass. 5/11/2010:

 

Our memorial park is finished. 6/1/2010:

 

One of the towers on the mainline. 6/1/2010:

 

6/1/2010:

 

Scrapyard is done. 6/1/2010:

 

Main Street. The crossing signals and gates are temporarily installed for now until we get the motors and the controller that will activate them when a train comes. 7/6/2010:

 

City Streets. 7/6/2010:

 

I need another photo like this. 7/6/2010:

 

We needed to "clean up" and put everything back together for a mini open house last week.  Although it looks awesome, I can't wait to get my hands dirty again and get to work. 7/6/2010:

 

Beautiful! It's coming out well-detailed and realistic!

 

Edit: There's a lot of heavy railroad iron in that scrapyard; looks like it might have come from a wreck cleanup. That's high-dollar scrap!

Yeah I'm pretty happy with the outcome so far.  I'm getting ready to install a curb along the street parallel to the tracks so the ballast won't spill over onto the "concrete," and to maintain a proper lane width.  Then I'm going to paint the lines and crosswalks.  We still need to ballast the rest of the mainline that goes through the area and then probably start working on the yard.  I love this layout because it's an ongoing project so we're never really "finished." 

We are still on a break from all of the work and with the holiday open houses coming up in December, I doubt we'll be doing any major layout work until Feburary.  We are still doing some scenery and structure work though and here are some recent photos from last Tuesday night (9/14/2010).

 

The taller brick building on the right in CCRR's main administration building.  Another single-story building of the same design is almost finished and will be placed nearby:

 

The streets are about to get a trackside curb:

 

We are inventorying our rolling stock and almost everything we had was out on the layout.  I love it when it looks like this:

 

And again, my favorite scene on the layoutL

It's evolving into a great layout. I especially like the town with its turn-of-the-century buildings, much like a lot of the places I remember from before the sprawlmeisters took over urban development policymaking.

 

There's a limestone quarry near my hometown where the rock crushers used to be in a tower similar to the one at the far end of this scene:

 

Dad knew someone who worked there, and one weekend he took us up through the tower. I must have been about ten years old then. I never got to see it in operation, but I remember that the whole thing was driven by a steam engine with the boiler in a separate building, probably to reduce the likelihood of the whole thing burning down.

 

The quarry was a deep pit with tracks in it, probably narrow gauge, and they had two or three small saddle-tank locomotives that worked in the pit and a standard-gauge Plymouth with a big four-cylinder gas engine that switched the Nickel Plate rail spur up at the tower. There was a steep ramp, maybe 45 degrees, built of compacted crushed stone, with tracks on it that led from the bottom of the pit to the top of the tower. They'd push the cars loaded with big rocks blasted from the quarry walls to the bottom of the ramp, and then winch them to the top of the tower and dump them into the crusher.

 

In one corner of the pit sat a huge derelict Marion steam shovel that local legend said had been used on the construction of the Panama Canal. It was mounted on rail trucks.

It's awesome that a train layout can bring up so many memories and stories. That's one of the reasons why model railroading is so fun.

It's awesome that a train layout can bring up so many memories and stories.  That's one of the reasons why model railroading is so fun.

 

That's why I haven't taken up model railroading. I'd soon be selling all my furniture to make room for a whole-house layout, and nobody but the UPS guy would ever see me again. :laugh:

 

Edit: Here's a tinkered-up photo of another crusher tower, not the one I described above. This one is located just west of the intersection of Indiana 218 and Indiana 116, just a few miles from our family farm. I'm pretty sure they don't do any heavy rock crushing in it any more. I think they just use it to load ag lime on the spreader trucks, but maybe they do the final-stage pulverizing in the tower, too. I remember hearing the booms and feeling the vibrations sometimes when they'd blast at that quarry.

 

 

They're letting this tower go, and I don't know how much longer it will stand. This photo is several years old, and since it was taken the roof has gotten a lot worse.

Haha well that would be awesome. Imagine maybe dedicating like three rooms. They could each be their own town or region. That would be so cool. Next time you take a trip through PA and come through or near my area, let me know because I could give you a personal tour of the layout and facility. Our open houses are also coming up in December if you're up for some winter traveling. My dad and I keep saying we want to resume building our layout at home, but we're having so much fun with the club's layout. We're not the only ones like that either. It's so much work, but it's fun and rewarding.

This really makes me miss the model train I had as a kid.  Still have all the stuff in storage, but I doubt I could make the setup work in my kind of apartment lol.

This really makes me miss the model train I had as a kid.  Still have all the stuff in storage, but I doubt I could make the setup work in my kind of apartment lol.

 

I guess you'll just have to move to a nice suburban McMansion with a 3-car garage so you'll have space for your layout.  :wink:

Ian, you can build a nice shelf layout.  Those are pretty awesome actually.  That or a couple modules that are portable and compact so you can move them around.

 

I'd probably go N scale that way it's more manageable.

Yeah N scale is great for small spaces.  I have seen clubs with a ton of module sets done in N scale and it looked awesome.

 

I have also seen N scale used on an HO scale layout to simulate depth.  It was pretty cool.

When I first viewed this thread today, I went through the entire thing looking at all of the old photos. Holy sh!t have we done a lot of scenery...

Ok so I have waited way too long to update this. If you think the progress made last year was great, here's an update for you.

 

CCRR Freight depot, 5/10/2011:

 

 

 

 

Machine shop, 5/10/2011:

 

 

Thomas!

 

Coach yard, 5/17/2011:

 

Machine shop, 5/17/2011

 

Coach yard lights, 5/17/2011:

 

Portal, 6/4/2011:

 

And so it begins. The mountain/ridge is forming, 6/14/2011:

 

The Clinton County Historical Society acquired a 40 foot box car to display at the station on 100 feet of hand-laid track:

 

More photos coming soon!

Extraordinarily fine job with the scenery! The vegetation and buildings look quite authentic.

Yeah those trees amazed me. We got a lot of this brush and all of the little branches looked like little bare trees. So we dipped them in scenic cement or matte medium and then dipped them in scenic flocking. Then we hairsprayed them to keep them solid and they look EXACTLY like the real thing. It's awesome. We made hundreds of them and we are almost out.

Good God that's amazing!

My friend took this the other night.

A Conrail crew stops to get a drink at the local watering hole:

Some more phone photos of the town that I took on Tuesday night.

 

 

The mountain in the background is huge and it's not even finished yet:

 

 

The street lights look functional. If they are, and if you have some sort of working lighting inside the buildings, you could have a lot of fun with nighttime HDR photography on the layout. You could photoshop the headlights and taillights on the vehicles, and position trains and set signal indications. If you wanted to get extreme, you could create some GIF sets with vehicles at a crossing, a train passing, and crossing signal lights alternating left-right-left-right. But there probably aren't any photographer-railfans who would consider trying anything so complicated as that.  :wink: