Just two of the prototype items I use on the layout, including a PC Southern Region timetable. Useful tools anyone can use to run their layout in a more prototypical manner. I use copies of the actual PC switch list during an operating session. Time can be a factor as well in running a layout […]

Well, it’s back to work again as the local out of Riverside yard has backed our inbound cars to us, all destined for Monsanto Chemical. Looks like quite a few chemical tank cars! Stay tuned as we start working Monsanto….

Another work day as our crew along with the help of the local crew on GP7 5628, gets to work switching the industrial area in Sedamsville and Addyston. Today our crew is myself as brakeman, Jimmy as conductor, and Fred as engineer as we fire up 8806. Today we need to pull an empty reefer […]

Here is this week’s layout photo from the original Hitop branch:

Today we switch out Monsanto during first trick. Gathering up our coffee thermoses Charlie, Dan, and I head over to our regular locomotive 8806 and fire her up. Today we’re also taking the two empty tank cars out of McGraw fuel and oil. The local with GP7 5628 has come caboose light out of Riverside […]

As I’m unfortunately taking a break temporarily from weathering with my airbrush parts worn out, I decided to weather two sidings on the layout. Starting with the team track, I took some Vallejo light gray acrylic paint and drybrushed the gray on random ties. I followed this up with some dark earth pigments by MiG […]

Here is this week’s layout photo from the original Hitop branch:

Our crew is back to work this morning switching out the inbound cars the local left for us. Today’s crew is Fred as engineer, myself as brakeman, and Jimmy as conductor. After grabbing breakfast and coffee at the diner we head over to fire up old 8806. Our first order of business is to pull […]

Here is this week’s photo from the original Hitop branch:

Today’s local has arrived from Riverside yard this morning with another string of inbound cars for the industries in Addyston, including a rare road caboose on the rear end:

Today’s an off day from the railroad but being from the local area, I’m down at the diner eating lunch when I notice our other crew has delivered a little unusual car to the team track. It turns out a local area building supply/lumber company out along River Road named Marsh and Truman Lumber has […]

A bit of work on the layout today as I enlarged the main road/street into three of the industries. Installed several of the old wood crossings as apparently PC had to work with what they had.

This week’s photo from the original layout:

It’s early morning in the community of Addyston Ohio. The smell of pancakes, bacon and eggs from the local diner mixes with the smell from Monsanto Chemical fills the air. It’s not much after dawn when we get to work on the Penn Central. With the thermoses of coffee in hand, Fred, myself, and Jimmy […]

Well, another shift back on the railroad, this time first trick. Today it’s Charlie, Jimmy and I handling the switching. Today we’re switching cars into Sullivan scrap, Armitage Furniture, the team track, and Stephen’s Grocery distributors. Another local out of Riverside dropped off these cars to us overnight. Today we’re switching two gons into Sullivan […]

Here again is this week’s photo from the original layout:

Coming soon, this Tangent PRR 52′ gondola

It’s now early in the morning with dawn breaking as we’re finishing up with Monsanto. The photos below show our moving the cars off the holding track to the loading/unloading track: When we had finished that task, 5628 shoves the two inbound tank cars down to end of track for us to take off and […]

Here is this week’s photo from the original layout:

Here we are on third trick last night as Jimmy, Charlie, and I are on 8806 switching out Monsanto along the Ohio River. Because of the area industry tracks loaded up, this job is going to take quite awhile, tis why this will get in two parts. First, GP7 5628 is bringing in three tank […]