Unknown Photo

Here is a photo I would like to identify.  I think it is the Canton Railroad in Baltimore, MD.  The hopper full of coal being shoved up the incline by the mole to a rotary dumper.  The dumper in turn filling the smaller hoppers which may be self-propelled or on a incline, going to a power plant.

Unknown Photo

I now believe this is the PRR Coal Pier at Canton in Baltimore.  The small hoppers are cable cars.  Here is the reference at the Library of Congress site.
http://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/hh/item/md0988/

Hagerstown and Frederick Railway Documentary

This revised and updated video is may possible by grants from Frederick News Post, the Hagerstown Trust Company and WJEJ AM. Based on the video by Carroll James.  Be patient as this is a 30 minute video and depending on your speed, it may take a while to load.  However, it is worth the wait.

I hope to find some way to include a small portion of this interurban trolley line at least based on the real railroad on my layout.  The real H&F interchanged with the WMRY in Thurmont, MD.  It also ran in Hagerstown along with the WMRY but I don't believe there were any connections there.

Troels Kirk's photos mentioned in the email of 12/7/14

Cricut Explore for cutting Model Railroad Structures

This and many more videos are available at Train Masters TV (http://trainmasters.tv/).  This is an affiliated service of Model-Railroad-Hobbyist E-magazine.  I believe if you are a subscriber to this free E-magazine there is a discounted subscription available to Train Masters TV.

GG1 Engine Acquired

Saturday I attended the O Scale sale in Strasburg, PA.  I purchased a Weaver Brass GG1 in two rail for a very reasonable price. It is painted as number 926 in Amtrak colors.  When Amtrak acquired some of the GG1s that PRR had in 1971 they dropped the 4 from the number.  So this engine would have been 4926.  Currently this engine has been restored and is on display in Syracuse, NY and is owned by the Central New York Chapter of the National Railroad Historical Society.

As you may recall we are running DCC and in most cased sound DCC.  This engine was equipped with Lionel's FMCC system.  So I needed to take a look under the hood to see what was needed. Below is the shell.  All of the various lights on the engine are connected with some small two pin connectors which will make it easy to connect to a decoder and also easy to remove the shell for working on the engine. Six small Phillip head screws attach the shell to the chassis.

Below is the engine's chassis.  The Lionel unit (OEMEP5C) is still in place on the left.  In the center is a weight and on the right is the speaker for the sound.  I removed the speaker and the unit.  There is a huge amount of room for two speakers and the QSI decoder and even additional weight if needed. Currently the engine is very heavy. 

Here is the Lionel sound and control unit.  It includes the unit, speaker, and two small slide switches. I believe when new the engine had a Weaver lighting system in it.  I am not sure but I think this TMCC unit made by Lionel/FAS and was added later.  I have listed it on eBay as I have no need of it and perhaps someone else can use it.

All that remains is to decide to re-paint to PRR colors or leave it as it is. If it is re-painted and re-numbered the lighted number board will have to be changed.  It may be possible to obtain a new one from Weaver.

Bob Johnson's WV Midland

Took these photos with my cheap point and shoot.  So some are not as sharp as they should be. Guess I need to start carrying my good camera around.  This was the monthly meeting of the South Mountain Division at Bob's house.  Well attended and covered "after the convention" business and other matters.

Photos Taken During our Open House by Wayland Moore

West of Hillen in Baltimore, MD

Baltimore Harbor Outline of SS District of Columbia

Coal and Iron Junction the young boy is running the Atlas 0-6-0. I am running the double header of Atlas GP-9s that will soon pass the steam train on the near West Bound track.

Twin Bridges over Elk River

Same

Double Header with a mixed train including two Atlas very heavy hoppers

First two cars are the Atlas WMRY hoppers

15 car train of empties West Bound pulled by an Atlas 0-6-0 

Rest of the train