An oft overlooked detail

[Sokramiketes]

I may have to take another look at my proposed "Sterling roadbed" diorama after this
topic. (dio I have planned to replicate the trackwork at Sterling Ohio on the CSX)

As an old car nut, it seems people -did- keep their cars cleaned up & waxed a lot more
back in the 50's-actually from my experience in original photos of such from the day. Not
"car show" quality or anything, but still kept up more than they seem to be now (IMO)

Now if this was a winter scene, that would be another story-get out the AIM powders for
crusted on salt! (at least in Ohio, it's always been that way)

Mike, this may be a neophyte question, but who makes that B&O wagontop in HO? I
forgot to ask when you posted awhile back on MTW. Anyways, your work impresses the
snot out of me, & I'm going to keep an eye on your pics for details I may miss, since my
future little layout is planned on being early 60's.

That's actually N scale, and it's a resin kit from Fine-N-Scale.

I'm sure people kept better care of their cars in the 50's because it was more of an investment back then, and the routine maintenance they needed kept people from totally neglecting them.  Nowadays, everyone seems to have multiple cars, and without carbs and point adjustment every couple thousand miles, people hardly even remember to change the oil, let alone anything else. Todays cars will keep on trucking with a lot of neglect.   

[SAH]

I may have to take another look at my proposed "Sterling roadbed" diorama after this
topic. (dio I have planned to replicate the trackwork at Sterling Ohio on the CSX)

Good choice for a diorama.  Are you gonna tackle the movable frogs at the crossing?  (Erie Lackawanna In Color Vol 1: The West End, Larry DeYoung, p 83).

Steve

[The Donkey]

Thanks Mike-I was thinking that was HO *shrugs*

Steve-no on the frogs-actually the EL crossing is long gone up there, as is the tower. Only thing left is the
signals, & the wye for the CL&W branch northbound. It's still a high traffic area for the CSX & a popular place to railfan though, & my fiance' & I try to get out there when we can. (she's closer & able to get there more than I)
http://ken.enterzone.net/loop.htm
Actually I plan on just modeling the roadbed, & using the signals, etc as a background-this will be mainly
for display for photographing my cars.
Check out my rrpicture archives as I have a lot of pics taken there.

[SAH]

Steve-no on the frogs-actually the EL crossing is long gone up there, as is the tower. Only thing left is the
signals, & the wye for the CL&W branch northbound. It's still a high traffic area for the CSX & a popular place to railfan though, & my fiance' & I try to get out there when we can. (she's closer & able to get there more than I)

Who'd a thunk it.  A bunch of folks sitting under a tree in Sterling OH shooting trains!  It would be a lot more fun if the EL wasn't just a weed path.     Always thought Sterling would make a great small layout 'cause you could make both the EL and B&O live in a shallow space due to the oblique crossing angle.  Easily done in N.

You've been busy trackside Mitch!  You're near Massillon?  I like the WLE shots, especially GP35 #105 and the SD40 at dusk.  Here's an earlier WLE shot for you.  GP35s in the Southern scheme at Wingfoot Lake, Brimfield Twp, OH  11/24/90.

Steve

[Chris333]

Does W&LE still supply coal to the Niles power plant?

http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/feb2005/20050207_niles.jpg

[Iain]

my fiance' & I try to get out there when we can. (she's closer & able to get there more than I)

Ah, so I am not the only one around with a girlfriend that likes trains!  Sweet!

[SAH]

Does W&LE still supply coal to the Niles power plant?

I don't know.  I'll see what I can find out from the WLE guys in the ACYHS.

Here's a photo for you Chris.  Delivering a carload of newsprint for your employer.  2/80.
Check out the caboose.

[Chris333]

Steve,

Wow that is great!!!  You da man     The guys at work said paper rolls used to come in by train and they would go across the street to unload it with the forklift.  You just made my day.

Here is the area after they relocated the track in 1970's:
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/el/dwg/V-9OH-21.gif

I had heard the Ohio Central was trying to re-lay track up the old Lisbon branch from Niles to the other side of the river and down the old interchange with the B&O to the power plant, but the bridge over the PRR is gone due to height clearances. So I'm sure that is why the OC never did it. Last time I saw a load of coal go in there it was W&LE.

[The Donkey]

Steve, yes-I live just outside Massillon & work in town. My other
half (who's a WLE fan & took those GP35/SD40 shots) lives in
Wooster.
That's a good shot of yours-don't see much of the older style
paint on their locos anymore. (although we did catch 1 at
Greenwich in Dec, & there's usually one (not sure if it's the same one)
in Gambrinus yard in Canton.)

We were told about the movable frogs by a long time Sterling
railfan (who unfortunately passed away recently). It was news
to me-I figured it was your standard crossing. IMO Sterling in
it's prime days would be excellent to model, with the above, &
add in the wye. Maybe a good idea for a module? hmmm....
"Some" EL trackage is still buried in the weeds just to the south
of the CSX, & where it ran in various locations to the east &
west, the old grade crossings are still slightly evident.

[SAH]

Steve, yes-I live just outside Massillon & work in town. My other
half (who's a WLE fan & took those GP35/SD40 shots) lives in
Wooster.

We were told about the movable frogs by a long time Sterling
railfan (who unfortunately passed away recently). It was news
to me-I figured it was your standard crossing. IMO Sterling in
it's prime days would be excellent to model, with the above, &
add in the wye. Maybe a good idea for a module? hmmm....
"Some" EL trackage is still buried in the weeds just to the south
of the CSX, & where it ran in various locations to the east &
west, the old grade crossings are still slightly evident.

So she can handle a camera and is a W&LE fan too.  Good pickin' Mitch.  I spent a couple of months on a job in Lodi.  Used to listen to the College of Wooster student radio station in the evenings as a diversion.

Sterling would be a great module, especially set in the years just prior to CR.  Very colorful with EL, Chessie, B&O, C&O and WM power.  If you wanted to go modern you could imagineer a new mini-mill or maybe the current economic development holy grail, an ethanol plant, was built east of Sterling.  To provide competition for CSX the W&LE reactivates the former EL line from Creston east through Sterling to the serve the new plant.  You could work you're buddy's fave in and model WLE's interesting roster too.  Of course I'm good at coming up with great ways to spend other peoples time and money.   

Steve

[SAH]

Wow that is great!!!  You da man     The guys at work said paper rolls used to come in by train and they would go across the street to unload it with the forklift.  You just made my day.

Here is the area after they relocated the track in 1970's:
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/el/dwg/V-9OH-21.gif

Glad you liked it.  I have another couple of shots taken a few years earlier, but I have to find them.  Taken with my Mom's 126 so they're not the best.

Here's another couple you'll like.  Taken by my Dad shortly after we moved to town.

Prior to the realignment looking east on South St.  March 1965.  Your employer at the left.


After the realignment looking west.  PA's are on a fantrip to Conneaut Lake Park.  July 1966


Steve

[Chris333]

Steve,

 So after Hero what is next, Super Hero?  Things looked much different back then, most people can't remember tracks in the street. I do have one pretty bad DVD showing 2 RS3's running down the street.

Here is a fancy little drawing :

For everyone else. Yellow is the original Erie, red is it relocated in the 70's. Yellow box is old station, red is the new. Yellow X is where I work. Blue is the B&O (CSX) Green is the PRR (NS/Ohio Central)

[SAH]

Warren thread continued on Mahoning Valley RRs in N Scale section.

[The Donkey]

Steve, those are some -cool- ideas! I'll copy & paste for future reference. Also,
that's a great shot of those PAs. You may or may not know too, there's a pic
of some Erie FAs crossing the NKP (WLE) at Creston some time in the 50's
in Don Ball's book "America's Colorful Railroads." Since I don't have a scanner,
I took a dig pic of the pic from the book for my own reference.
I'd post, but I don't want to get into copyright trouble.

I'll send your ideas also to Dawn-who knows what either 1 or both of us will
come up with.

Thanks again.

[SAH]

. . . . .  there's a pic of some Erie FAs crossing the NKP (WLE) at Creston some time in the 50's
in Don Ball's book "America's Colorful Railroads."  . . . . .

It has been MANY years since I looked at that book.  The first color RR book I purchased.  Yes the Creston photo is a classic.  Thanks for reminding me I owned the book.  Some great photos in there.

Steve