Passenger Car Lineup -- Part 2

Updated passenger lineup

While it is not really a pressing matter, I have continued along this vein of developing an operational and reasonable roster for potential passenger car service on the 4th Subdivision. 

After my last post I found my Sprog, downloaded JMRI to my new laptop, and set up the addresses on the two locomotives that I mentioned. The F7 seen above and the GP7 both have their DCC addresses set to their road numbers now, and they both are working fine out of the box. Without an option for continuous running, I will need to spend some time running them to get them "broken in" before I tackle weathering them. 

The F7, 312C, is a logical choice for passenger service with its factory applied diaphragm. I'm guessing that the diaphragm feature is because of the original intention of it to be a part of a multi-unit consist, but it still adds to the passenger train feel. I suspect that for now I will use the F7 as the power for an initial passenger local on the first phase, Nooksack centered, operations set up. While it appears from the Ferndale Memories websites that G7s were used in passenger service, I will use the GP7 for freight in my initial train running to get it broken in as well. 

My Harriman RPO, flying the orange and green paint scheme, went through a basic standards check. It has metal wheels, the coupler height checked out, and the weight was spot on for NMRA RP 20.1. While the GN did not have such a car, the model will work just fine for now as a stand-in. I used to run it as a trailer with my doodlebug,* but for now it will be the RPO on my first passenger line up. With its wire grabs and flashy paint scheme it will be a solid contributor once it has a little bit of weathering. I do appear to be running it backwards though. Oops.

This through baggage car replaces the truss rod coach car in my first passenger line up. It passed my basic standards evaluation with metal wheels, acceptable coupler height, and matching NMRA weight guidelines, It is not GN, but Canadian National Railways. The lineups shown in the Ferndale Memories website photos show lots of baggage and other head end cars including one or two from other lines. It would not be too much of an outlier headed towards (or from) the GN mainline and Vancouver. 

This other head end car, an express refrigerator car, is a GN car.  It did not pass my basic standards evaluation without some work. One of the couplers was not working well, so I replaced its couplers with Kadee whisker style scale couplers. I also placed a couple of drops of glue on one end's connection between the underbody and that end, as the body of the car was loose. After those few adjustments, it passed the routine standards check. 

The one thing missing for initial passenger service at this point is the ability to carry passengers. Last night, at the Thursday modeling night Zoom meeting, I attempted stripping paint from the coach and combine mentioned in my last post. I plan to move forward with working on the coach: clean up some flash, double check the paint stripping, and move on with painting. I rummaged in my stash of decals and have some GN passenger car decals. I am going to a nearby train show this weekend, and I will look for passenger car details.  My next post should either be updates on the progress of a car for passengers or a report on an ops session giving some running time to these two "new" locomotives. 

*The doodlebug is out of commission until I hardwire in a sound decoder, a project I am not ready to tackle right now.

Convoluted Application of a Convention Clinic

 

Clearly not a steam locomotive, but my current passenger consist!

At the recent Piedmont Junction MER Convention, I attended a number of clinics. One, by Chuck Davis, stuck with me, even though the main topic turns out to not really directly apply: "Modifying and Detailing Plastic Steam Engines." After returning home from travels to Maine and North Carolina, I did dig out my BLI Blue Line GN steam engine with its glitchy decoders. In addition to needing a new decoder, the need to convert its tender from coal to oil, and the obvious lack of a Belpaire firebox, the biggest issue is that all GN steam had been replaced by first generation diesels on the Cascade Division by 1954. I am not changing the date of my railroad setting! So how might this clinic apply?

I can apply Chuck's overall approach to my passenger train(s) on the 4th Subdivision of the Cascade Division in 1954. So what is this overall approach? He discussed an approach to modeling steam locomotives that he picked up from one of his mentors (who's name I didn't jot down) when he started out. It consists of basically three steps:

1. Research
2. Identify/exaggerate key features
3. Add details by modifying existing or finding a mechanism and scratchbuilding

Research

Right now, I have three main sources of research. One is as a member of the Great Northern Historical Society. For example, in this June 2023 issue, the cover photo is of train #682 showing a GP9 and an older combine waiting in Shelby, Montana for the arrival of the Empire Builder on the mainline. The 681/682 was a mixed train carrying passengers, freight, and mail on the 37 mile branch line between Shelby and the Canadian border that disappeared from the timetable by 1960. A second source is a website that I recently rediscovered focusing on Ferndale, Washington in the mid 1950s. The memories (and photos) of a young rail fan from the mid 1950s are a great resource for researching small towns in western Washington as well as train make ups. A third source is the Morning Sun book, Great Northern, in color, Volume 1: Lines West. Lots of actual train photos here, although a lot are from the early 60s. 

Identifying Key Features

In the clinic that I presented in Durham, I talked about atmosphere, realism, and flexible operations.  Tied into several of these general topics, I want branchline switching with Great Northern practices that fit the atmosphere of the time and place. Looking at the opening photo of my current passenger line up, I see several issues. First of all, while the Morning Sun book does show an example of a three car passenger train headed by a switch engine in branchline service, it is an NW5, a fairly ubiquitous engine. While the GN did have VO-1000s, they only had ten in total across the entire system. The trailing coach in my lineup is a wooden coach with truss rods, a car that would not be seen other than in MOW service after the 1920s or 1930s, clearly an anachronism.  

Mail cars, baggage express cars, coaches, and first generation diesels are to be expected. Mixed paint schemes in short branch line line ups are to be expected, but are not universal. While I had not planned on having a mixed train, the GP and combine seen on the cover of the Great Northern Goat is a prototype to consider. I hadn't considered a mail crane or a train order board for my town of Nooksack, but now I am thinking of them as necessities after looking at the photos in the Memories of a Young Railfan site. 

Nowhere in my research have I found information about milk traffic yet, let alone a milk train on the GN in the time period that I am modeling. A Carnation milk condensory was located just outside Ferndale as well as in Everson with train sidings. They were not as busy by the 1950s, but still in use. At that time, the one in Ferndale had slowed down enough that part of the plant was used for potato storage. I want to model the milk traffic, but it might not be milk trains. 

A shift in key features might be in order: no milk train, but add a mixed train.

Existing Rolling Stock and Details

Wether it is for a milk train or a mixed train such as 681/682, a combine would be a necessity. I have a Roundhouse/MDC kit on hand. While as a Harriman style car, it is not prototypical for GN, but it is what I have. The RPO that I have in GN colors is also a Harriman car. At any rate, the combine can at least function as a stand in and skill improvement project. I plan to strip the existing paint and repaint in Pullman green. Metal wheels, proper weight, Kadee couplers, wire grabs, and basic decals are also details to add. Other possibilities include diaphragms, interior, and lighting.

A more appropriate kit for GN is this Athearn Blue Box coach. Again, paint stripping and repainting in Pullman Green would be a start. Metal wheels and Kadee couplers along with proper weight would be required to hit my rolling stock standards. Appropriate decals and wire grabs would be good skill building activities for me and add to the cars appearance. Diaphragms, interior, and lighting would also be worthwhile projects. 

In terms of locomotives, my two most recent additions to my roster (actually over a span of around five years) are these two. On the bottom is an F7 from Walthers Proto in Great Northern livery. Above is GP7, also a Walthers Proto. Both have sound decoders, but have not been programed or run. I don't think either is set up for passenger service, but they both are typical and appropriate for prototypical use on the Cascade Division in 1954 and on my 4th Subdivision. Starting with finding my JMRI Sprog and setting it up on the new laptop, these two need some basic programming and then running time on the Nooksack first phase!

Having used Chuck Davis's outline, I see that I have some work to do on my passenger car line up to start initial service that meets my goals. The RPO and the Refrigerator Express car in my current consist could stand a standards review, and as seen above, I have several rolling stock projects lined up. Finally, I have two locomotives that need to be set up and broken in. 

Planning After Moving: Clinic and Handout Links

At last week's MER convention, Piedmont Junction 2024, I gave a clinic on planning a new version of my model railroad after moving. A main gist of the clinic was how I determined what I actually wanted. The presentation also discussed a design process presented by Lance Mindheim that I followed showing examples of several options. Finally I revealed my first steps using the TOMA approach. 

I have added a slide to the presentation showing my proposed next steps as mentioned in a post from September (after I submitted my clinic). The slide presentation and handout are linked below, assuming I have successfully gotten Google Drive to talk with my blog.

During the Q & A session one audience member asked about my reference to Marty McGuirk, and I couldn't remember the name of his blog. It is the Central Vermont Railway, and it is listed in my Blog List here to the right. 

Link to download the PDF of clinic slides

Link to download the handout

East Branch Scenery Updates -- Part 4

Here at the eastern end of the East Branch staging yard, the first phase of scenery is complete. Yes, more details could be added such as crossbucks, static grass tufts, and more bushes or shrubs. However, for the first layer, it is complete enough to move on. This scene generates Pacific Northwest atmosphere which is one of my goals. This scene also brings to a successful close the fix or extension to the originally planned staging. The first layer of ground foam and other scenery materials disguises the abrupt foam hillside to some extent. Time to move on!

Here, another section of the East Branch staging module exhibits enough first layer of scenery for me to feel ready to move on. The track is ballasted, the original clearcut area has been expanded, and some texture is applied from the berm and gap in the rear to the front fascia. Another layer of scenery should be applied later, but a foundational level of atmosphere and realism goals are there. Now, I need to get up the gumption to add to the first layer of scenery between these two areas, at least make sure that some texture is applied everywhere beyond painted plywood before I return to the Nooksack module's buildings, scenery, and operations.

In my last post, I discussed long range plans and a desire to improve the surroundings in the basement. While I do want to connect the two first phase finished areas ASAP, my thoughts about the basement were reinforced  when our new cat sitter came by to meet Jane and Gracie yesterday. When we mentioned the trains, she wanted to see them. As the first phase of the 4th Subdivision is coming together and I can take some pride in it,  I fear that the surrounding basement is more than a distraction; it destroys the illusion. Some improvements to the surroundings must be fit into the schedule!

TOMA In the 4th Subdivision -- Long Range Plans

Sketch Plan/Design for the 4th Subdivision

I spent the past few weeks revising a presentation on planning a new model railroad after moving and writing the accompanying handout that I will be giving at the MER convention in October. The clinic discusses both general plans for designing a model railroad and how I designed this one. I break the presentation into three parts: To get what you want you have to know what you want, the actual steps I took in designing a model railroad, and using TOMA. 

Nooksack and Staging

For much of the past couple of years, I have slowly made progress on the first phase of TOMA, the town of Nooksack with staging on both ends. The east staging, now named East Branch, will be fully sceniced and is a new module that I have written about a lot here on the blog. While I am somewhat disappointed in the slow progress so far, I feel like what I have accomplished has been somewhat successful. I do need to make a commitment to picking up the speed here as we enter "model railroad season." One major issue is that I have used something like the TOMA approach to providing the space for my railroad. This has been what I see as my largest mistake so far. This piecemeal transition from unfinished basement to layout room has not been satisfying and may be a contributing factor to lack of progress.

TOMA Phases Color Coded

While working on my presentation and thinking about progress on the "train room," I have returned to thinking about the long term goals for the entire railroad. Phase 1 is the town of Nooksack, well under way. My plan for Phase 2 is for Ferndale, a major interchange and fiddle yard, in addition to a new section of mainly scenery including a fill and cut to be added left (to the west) of Nooksack. That area of the basement is very decrepit right now. Although I don't want to start building any benchwork, I think that I should move to room prep of the Phase 2 area of the basement before Nooksack is finished. It would make for more desirable surroundings for me and acceptable surroundings for visitors.  

Moving into even longer range plans, the color coded illustration shows what I am thinking of in future phases of TOMA construction. Phase 3 will replace the temporary East Branch staging with the permanent town of Chikamin and a totally new section with scenery and an interchange between Chikamin and the Nooksack section. At the same time, the East Branch sceniced staging will move to in front of the posts as seen in the illustration. Phase 4 will be the blob peninsula and Phase 5 will be the Port Gulick scene. Other than an existing module from Meadville that is planned as the core of the town of Chikamin, all these sections will be new construction. 

We will see how much of this long term planning comes to fruition, but for now work on the first phase and some improvement of the surroundings in the basement need to press forward.

Wordless Wednesday #3 -- Meet at Railroad Museum of Pennsylvvania

 

East Branch Scenery Updates -- Part 3

Working from the east end

In my last post I ended discussing a patch of trees as a way to disguise the dead-end of the far end of the East Branch Staging.

The first step was to pencil in the location of shadows on the sky from the temporarily placed trees. Then, during a recent Thursday modeling night, I painted in some trees using acrylic craft paints and some brown from the lid of my gallon of latex brown dirt color. Finding the green to be too light compared to the furnace filter trees, I mixed up a slightly darker color and added some darker brush strokes with slightly more detailed branch ends. The next day I drilled holes for the trees and marked them with toothpicks before adding a layer of a Scenics Express "Conifer Floor Blend," a ground foam and static grass mix, to the area.

In addition to gluing down the ground cover, I also applied ballast to the track, here between the tree locations. After the scenic glue had dried I went ahead and fit the five furnace filter trees in place. While no one has been able to explain the the reason for the phenomenon to me, I am a believer in the "odd number groups of trees looking more natural" theory. The five trees are made up of different colors, sizes, and construction techniques. While they actually block the track, the illusion and hidden shadows by the painted trees on the backdrop works well enough for me. 

In my previous post I explained the materials and techniques used for ballasting here on the East Branch staging section. While working here, I went ahead and finished ballasting the main and passing tracks between the clearcut and here at the east end. As seen in the photo, one segment of the ground needs some additional first layer work behind the passing track. My notion is that a path needs to be added, a gravel parking area at the end of the gravel road should be included, and some landscaping needs to be worked out around the yard office (which needs to be finished). 

Working backwards from the patch of trees, a section of the backdrop needed work. If nothing else, the patch between sections of backdrops created with the runaround extension from last September has never been resolved. I decided on showing a clearcut going into the distance. 

Using Google image, I went through a number of photos online until deciding on one from an online report from the University of Cincinnati. I did a screen grab and then saved a portion as a JPEG. My first idea was to do some old school cut and paste before glueing it into the backdrop as an experiment with collaging a photo into the painted backdrop. While trying out various positions of my photo cut outs, I changed my mind. Why not just use the photo as a source and try painting the distant ground and trees instead of trying to blend the photo with the rest of the painted backdrop? So, that is what I did. 

By having a source photo to work from and using my standard latex brown as one of my colors along with a few craft store paints, I think the transition from 2D backdrop to 3D bench-top works. I am not going to give up on ever collaging in a photo into the backdrop, but I will save that technique for buildings. The technique that I think will make that work is applying visual foils on either side of the building, an approach suggested by one of my model railroad inspirations: Paul Dolkos. Paul passed away earlier this month, but I was able to briefly meet him and visit his Baltimore Harbor Railroad several years ago before his railroad was taken down. 

In the last photo, the railroad crossing boards can be seen glued down, and the stumps are loosely positioned, but still need additional weathering. While I am making progress here on the East Branch staging, I still have more to do before I can say, "The first layer of scenery here is complete, let's run some trains and return to Nooksack." First layer of scenery is a doable goal here within a reasonable length of time, and may supply inspiration for additional progress on the railroad as a whole. 

Next Steps:

• Stump weathering
• Yard office completed
• Switch stands
• First layer of ground cover where missing
• Experiment with static grass and static grass mats