Modeling the P&WV in N Scale

[Rich_S]

Hello Group, Since this is my very first post I'll start off by introducing myself. My name is Rich and I live in Baden, PA. I'm building a Hollow Core Door layout of a fictitious P&WV branch line that serves the small town of Long Valley.

Here are a couple of photos of a Bachman H16-44 I custom painted into the P&WV paint scheme using Polly Scale paint and decals from Great Decals. (Don't laugh to loudly, this is N scale and my tired old eyes don't see and well as they use to  )

Some over view photos of the layout with location names. I'm still in the process of adding vegetation to the hill sides.

Here are a couple of photos of my recent project, a 1950's - 1960's era gas station, that now sits across from Vulcan Steel Fabricators.

Lastly here is a schematic showing how I operate this layout.

Regards,
Rich S.
Modeling the P&WV in N scale.

[GimpLizard]

Not laughing at all, Rich. That's some mighty fine work you've done there. And welcome to the forum.

[MichaelWinicki]

Thank you for sharing your layout!

Luv the paintjob!

Ballasted tracks... stripes on your roads... telegraph poles in place... lots of detail stuff– just well done!

[Dave V]

Welcome aboard!

HCD (Hollow Core Door) layouts are a specialty around these parts.  Yours is very well done, and I look forward to seeing more!  Custom painting in N scale is not easy and yours looks fantastic.  Always glad to see more custom painters in N.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Whoa Rich, that's some cool stuff!

[Rich_S]

Thanks guys for all of the kind words, they are very much appreciated. Dr. Dave Vollmer, your layout has been very inspirational and I enjoy reading and seeing updates on your Pennsy / Conrail Middle Division layout. I also want to thank you for your service to our country.

Here is another locomotive that finds it's way onto the P&WV Long Valley Branch from time to time. It's a Atlas GP40 that I painted using Polly Scale paint and Microscale decals.

A couple more update photo's. Unfortunately I only have a simple point and shoot digital camera, so I'm not able to get a nice field of view.
The gas station is now part of the layout and the forest now covers the middle hill side.

Regards,
Rich S.
Modeling the P&WV in N Scale.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Rich, those point and shoots can do great things. First, what you've posted is really good.

Give this a read too, I wrote it up about using a point and shoot to do model photos, which is what I still use:
http://conrail1285.com/news.asp?storyid=28

[Rich_S]

Ed, Thank you for the link. I'll have to check my point and shoot and see if I have the settings you list in your article. Your Conrail engines look fantastic. Back in my "HO" scale days I modeled Conrail. Are you a member of Bob Waller's Conrail Yahoo Group? The group has been pretty silent lately   Bob's Conrail Cyclopedia is loaded with ton's of Conrail information and you might just see a few prototype photo's from me on the site. I'll always have a weak spot for Big Blue and the PC, but I've gone back to my first love the Pittsburgh & West Virginia Railway.

Here are the only two photo's I have of my CR SD60. This is the Rail Power Products shell that I purchased before RPP was purchased by Athearn. The Shell was placed on a Athearn SD40T-2 frame. The paint is Floquil Conrail Blue and the decals are Microscale Conrail Hood Unit Decals. The SD60 sub lettering was from a dry transfer set and unfortunately a bit over sized.

Now back to our regularly scheduled topic 


Regards,
Rich S.
Modeling the P&WV in N Scale.   

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Ed, Thank you for the link. I'll have to check my point and shoot and see if I have the settings you list in your article. Your Conrail engines look fantastic.

Sure thing! I wrote it a long time ago, but it should still all apply. I was definitely annoyed to find that a newer one we had purchased didn't have any of the required settings. It was really frustrating. My fingers are crossed for you.

Back in my "HO" scale days I modeled Conrail. Are you a member of Bob Waller's Conrail Yahoo Group? The group has been pretty silent lately   Bob's Conrail Cyclopedia is loaded with ton's of Conrail information and you might just see a few prototype photo's from me on the site. I'll always have a weak spot for Big Blue and the PC, but I've gone back to my first love the Pittsburgh & West Virginia Railway.

Bob's CRCYC site is what got be back into modeling Conrail back, well *****, probably 10 years ago now. His site definitely inspired me when I was creating the CRHS's site. If you think Bob has a lot of photos (he does), you should see this: http://thecrhs.org/ConrailPhotos
It's full of contributions by CRHS members, and has over 20,000 photos. Say goodbye to your weekend...

Here are the only two photo's I have of my CR SD60. This is the Rail Power Products shell that I purchased before RPP was purchased by Athearn. The Shell was placed on a Athearn SD40T-2 frame. The paint is Floquil Conrail Blue and the decals are Microscale Conrail Hood Unit Decals. The SD60 sub lettering was from a dry transfer set and unfortunately a bit over sized.

[img width=300 ]http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc239/gizzmaxx/Model%20Railroad%20Photos/CRSD60-10001_zps90c92676.jpg[/img]

Those are super sharp. I haven't gotten a pair of the Atlas 60s in N, but I might. I try to focus on CR right before those and the C40-8s showed up (but I was weak and got one of those too).

Your P&WV stuff really is great though. I love less common prototypes like that, Steve's AC&Y, etc... really cool stuff.

[LIRR]

Rich,
 trains are no laughing matter....
nice work

[johnhale]

The layout is very well done and the custom loco is very cool.

My only comment is kinda anal and about your vehicles. Vehicles are an indicator or time and place. In your different photo's you have a mixture of modern and old. and it does not flow and create a time/place. Just a comment.

[Rich_S]

Hi John,  I've been slowly back dating my vehicles as time, money and late 50's early 60's models become available. Most of the models seen in the over view photo's have already been replaced, like the Chevy sedans and modern Atlas Ford pickups and Truck Tractors. I agree in trying to set a time period and so far Mini Metals and Athearn has become very good sources for late 50's early 60's models.

These models more closely represent the current era on the layout, which is summer 1963, one year before the Nickel Plate / Norfolk & Western Merger. As part of the merger the N&W leased the P&WV for 999 years.

I've been thinking of moving the merger date to 1974 and doing the 100 and 101 in P&WV paint. For those who are not familiar, the P&WV had ordered two GP35 and they were to be numbered 100 and 101. While the two units were being built, the N&W/NKP merger went through. The N&W was able to get EMD to deliver the units in N&W paint and number them 1300 & 1301.   

Regards,
Rich S.
Modeling the P&WV in N Scale.
 

[davefoxx]

All right!  Another HCD layout.  You have been assimilated.

Welcome to our ranks and to The Railwire.  There's no need to be afraid to display your layout here or to feel embarrassed for what you've done so far.  I like what I see.  That said, there is some real talent here and many members are willing to offer tips, suggestions, constructive criticism, and sometimes even labor.  Take advantage of that, because a benefit of The Railwire is a common desire among members to continue to improve our modeling.  You'll generally find that we aren't known for empty kudos.  Sometimes you'll need to remember that if there's no comments about your modeling, that silence means it was well accepted and didn't require any comment on how to improve it.

Thanks for sharing,
DFF

[Bsklarski]

Thats a great layout, it looks alot bigger than a HCD. This will be a worthy thread to follow!

[Mark5]

Very cool to see someone modeling the Hi-Line in N scale!