Erie Huntington Division in N Scale

[jargonlet]

I started a new layout and thought I would start a build thread for it. First a brief history. After I got back into the hobby, I won a layout in a raffle at a show. I learned a lot from working on the layout including what I want out of a layout or more so, what I don't want in a layout. While it was a nice layout, there were things that I wanted out of the layout that it simply couldn't do. So the layout found a new home and I was able to start a new layout which I called the Perryville Central. Fast forward a few years and the Perryville sat in a partially completed state. As time passed by, I found more and more things I didn't like about the Perryville. I decided starting over with a clean slate and a lot of planning was my best route. Let's face it, most people building a layout would like to have it completed whether that means fully sceniced or just a loop of track.

So why restart after all of that work? I have a growing list of problems. Well there were a couple of recurring track problems that seemed to be seasonal. Of coarse they would be at the worse possible place. One of which meaning that it would be hard to scenic. There were also a couple of problems with switches that were self inflicted. The problem stemmed from not putting them in the track plan and then trying to add them later. It meant either a ton of work or have them non-functional. I would like to be able to do some operations. The problem would have driven me crazy. I didn't like the ballast that I used. I used woodland scenics brown ballast as I was modeling the Pennsylvania RR. It looked odd to me seeing other roads run over it. All those problems can be fixed if one really wanted to. However, there was a big open place in the middle that I never could seem to figure out what to do with. Everything I thought of doing there seemed forced and never looked realistic. One of the bigger problems, I switched from modeling the Pennsylvania RR to modeling the Erie. The layout would look nothing like the area of the Erie I want to model. I am switching from modeling New Castle, PA to modeling Huntington, Indiana.

I spent a lot of time planning and figuring out what I really want to get out of the new layout. I plan to put a backdrop down the middle of the layout to divide it into two scenes. On one side I plan to model the station area that was in Huntington Indiana and what I can get of the Wabash interchange tracks and a condensed version of the Erie yards. The tracks leading to the other side of the layout will go upgrade and be super elevated as they were in the area. The other side of the layout will be freelanced but with the feel and looks of the area outside of Huntington.

[jargonlet]

Here are a couple of videos of the last layout:

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[jargonlet]

I got all of the mainline track laid. I am missing a switch that will lead to the white four story building. I put a 6" piece of track of track in its' place until budget allows me to buy another switch. I haven't started on the track in the yard and station area yet. It will probably be a bit before I get to that. The next thing is to wire the layout and lay plaster cloth.

[Albersala]

I liked your old layout. It´s a pity you had those issues forcing you to give it up.
However the new layout is very promising and I look forward to seeing future updates.

[OldEastRR]

Have you considered putting an interchange track to the intersecting rail line (the crossing)? It would give you another "industry" to switch.

[jargonlet]

Have you considered putting an interchange track to the intersecting rail line (the crossing)? It would give you another "industry" to switch.

Actually, that is in the plan. I don't want to condense the scene any more than required. I won't get all of the area in the space I have but I plan to build it so that I can build an expansion to the area. Here is an arial picture of the area. It's a picture of a picture that I took last summer at the Huntington County Museum and Historical Society. I won't be modeling much past the diamonds to the south in the picture or much of the north area in the picture.

[Chris333]

I have something you may like:




 

[jpec]

Oh, that's sexy @Chris333 ...for any railroad....

[Chris333]

I don't know much about Huntington, but this shanty was used there. A long time ago I drew it up and etched it in brass.

[peteski]

I don't know much about Huntington, but this shanty was used there. A long time ago I drew it up and etched it in brass.

N scale?

[Chris333]

Yep N scale.

[DMetz]

What era are you thinking about for the Huntington station area?  The track arrangement at the station remained basically the same until it was removed in the early 1980's.  There were a few changes in the 70's to single track the Wabash crossing.  But the interchange track and sidings were in use until the end.  The interchange track was also the start of an industrial siding that went all the way to the stone quarry on the other side of Broadway street. The Erie serviced the quarry, and a few other industries along there.  The older picture that you posted shows the third track, parallel to the mains, that ended at the crossing.  This was a switching lead, and had a huge concrete bumper that was still there after the track was removed.

The buildings are a different story.  The station had several significant rebuilds over the years, with windows, doors, and siding being radically changed at least three times that I have found.  The wooden crossing tower was replaced with a block building.  The hotel was removed and became a parking area for the station.  There are some good pictures of these in the Erie Facilities book that you have.  There is also a couple of pictures in the Erie magazine:  http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/el/map/marion.html

Dan

[jargonlet]

I have something you may like:




 

That looks very nice. If you ever would like to find a new home for it, I would love to have it.

[jargonlet]

What era are you thinking about for the Huntington station area?  The track arrangement at the station remained basically the same until it was removed in the early 1980's.  There were a few changes in the 70's to single track the Wabash crossing.  But the interchange track and sidings were in use until the end.  The interchange track was also the start of an industrial siding that went all the way to the stone quarry on the other side of Broadway street. The Erie serviced the quarry, and a few other industries along there.  The older picture that you posted shows the third track, parallel to the mains, that ended at the crossing.  This was a switching lead, and had a huge concrete bumper that was still there after the track was removed.

The buildings are a different story.  The station had several significant rebuilds over the years, with windows, doors, and siding being radically changed at least three times that I have found.  The wooden crossing tower was replaced with a block building.  The hotel was removed and became a parking area for the station.  There are some good pictures of these in the Erie Facilities book that you have.  There is also a couple of pictures in the Erie magazine:  http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/el/map/marion.html

Dan

For my era, I'm looking at 1953-1955. I figured that's what that siding was used for. Do you know what the siding on the other side of the mains was used for? I'm talking about the one past the station across the mains from the yards. I'm thinking it was for pushers from the steam era. I have read that article. I happened onto it just before I made a trip to Huntington to see my grandma a year or so ago. I do have Erie Facilities. As for the tower, I have a pair of Waldwick Tower kits that I plan to kit bash into it. You wouldn't happen to know the year that the block building would you?

[DMetz]

I am still digging out my Erie Huntington info, so I will post more later.  I haven't found info in the tower replacement, but I found a first hand account that the wooden tower was used in 1952.  I think it was replaced at the same time the CTC was installed and some of the double track was removed.  This was the middle to late 1950s.  Which siding are you asking about?  Is it the track that was north of Market street, and west of the mains?  I have a map that shows all of the track arrangements, but I couldn't find it.  I think there is info about this in the Bernard Sennstrom book.