What's New on the PRR Panhandle Division?

[G3750]

Updated 9/25/2015:

The bridge is here! The bridge is here! Yes, the good news is that the bridge has finally made its journey to the basement and is now awaiting installation.

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The bad news is that we need to fix some track / subroadbed sins of the past before we can install it. As I mentioned earlier this week, I thought we needed to adjust some of the trackwork leading up to the bridge. I expected the adjustments to be minor. It turned out (naturally!) to be more complicated. In essence, I will be rebuilding about half of the western portion of the layout, including subroadbed, a few risers, a large curve, and the repositioning of Switch No. 1.

The affected area is shown below.

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I am not discouraged by this. This is my chance to correct these long dormant problems and make the layout much more robust.

George

[rogruth]

George,

I think I recognize that bridge! Very nice!! WOW!!!

[G3750]

George,

I think I recognize that bridge! Very nice!! WOW!!!

Yeah, it's much more imposing now sitting in my basement. Can't wait.

George

[G3750]

Updated 10/3/2015:

I should call this post "What bad roadbed & trackwork look like." except that it is too close to the truth.

Here are some more photos of the deconstruction.

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Next we will make a paper template to cover the missing table area, transfer to the 1/2" plywood, double-check our measurements, and cut a new table top.

George

[rogruth]

Waiting to see the template and how it works out.

[G3750]

Waiting to see the template and how it works out.

Yeah, me too.

But not tonight. I'm exhausted.

George

[G3750]

Updated 10/7/2015:

Marking of the template is underway as shown below.

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Another riser was added to the Hidden Passing Siding to level it out. I've decided to use my most finicky locomotive, the Lionel PRR M1a to test all my new track work. The engine has a nearly scale pilot, so it will catch any track or bench work imperfections.

Also, I started rebuilding (raising) the River Module. As you may recall, it is 2.75" too low. This happened when I decided not to model both the river bottom and the river surface. That proved to be too difficult to execute. So in what is for me a rare display of discretion being the better part of valor , I decided to just model the surface of the water. That requires me to lift the river module by 2.75". This photo shows the disassembled module, which will be placed on top of some support members, effectively raising it to the correct height. It will be clearer in the next few postings.

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George

[G3750]

Updated 10/11/2015:

Ran the Lionel PRR M1a, the most finicky engine I own, over the Hidden Passing Siding track at crawling speed without incident. That proves that particular piece of roadbed / track work is level and strong enough. I believe we can put that piece of track behind the backdrop with a high probability of no issues.

George

[healey36]

Hey George - Are you heading over to York on Friday (10/23)? I think I'm going to swing by for a few hours...got a list of a few odds-and-ends I need to run down. Just wonderin'...

Healey

[G3750]

Hey George - Are you heading over to York on Friday (10/23)? I think I'm going to swing by for a few hours...got a list of a few odds-and-ends I need to run down. Just wonderin'...

Healey

Yep, sure will be there. I plan to attend Thursday and Friday. These are my mental health days. As I get older, I seem to need them more and more.

I don't have a lot on my shopping list this time around - K-Line PRR coil cars, if I can find any. I will stop by East Coast Enterprises (the makers of my bridge) and say hello.

George

[G3750]

Updated 10/22/2015:

Had a fabulous 1st day at York.

Picked up my B6sb from All Aboard Trains. I dropped it off with them at the Spring York meet. They added TMCC, sounds, and front / rear electro-couplers. They did a fabulous job, too!

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Also picked up 4 Pecos River box cars for $100 (deal of the meet, IMO), couple of PRR TrucTrain flatcars with dual 35' trailers, an Atlas PRR X-29 box car, and some detail parts.

George

[G3750]

Updated 10/23/2015:

Day 2 at Fall York proved to be equally successful. I went there with the idea of acquiring a number of K-Line PRR Coil cars but learned two things about them. First, they are early 1960s vintage - too late for my time frame. In fact, all covered coil gondolas are too late for my era. Second, they are ghosts. Apparently they are very scarce.

But that turned out to be OK. I decided that the older method of using open gondolas would be the best and most prototypical way to ship coils. So I managed to pick up 4 MTH Premier gondolas (a few with junk loads) for a ridiculous price - $110. I am going to sell off the junk loads. In their place, I will install floor strips and populate the cars with Atlas coils.

A couple of Atlas O NYC boxcars, some tools, and a K-Line PRR crane car rounded out the catch of the day.

I really didn't intend to spend that much, but the prices were excellent and sellers were eager to make deals.

George

[jlong]

Williams brass B6? Nice.

[MurphOnMillerAve]

Updated 10/23/2015:

Day 2 at Fall York proved to be equally successful. ...

...I really didn't intend to spend that much, but the prices were excellent and sellers were eager to make deals.
George

George, Would you give us more of your impressions of this October's TCA Meet @ York? I'd love to hear all about it.
Murph
P.S. The last time I was there as a vendor was October 2014...

[G3750]

Sure Murph.

Thursday was somewhat lightly attended. Bargains were in evidence for most items except the new Lionel stuff (I've always thought $65-85 is steep for a freight car). For example on Thursday I got a great deal on 4 Pecos River 3-rail boxcars - $100. On Friday, I got a great deal on 4 MTH Premier gondolas with junk loads - $110. Most dealers were flexible on prices and you could make good deals, especially on older items. I heard that some vendors were a bit concerned at the light turnout.

Things that I know and things that I heard:

• Beth Marshall, Public Delivery Track, was not there. I believe she is done attending York, possibly due to poor health.
• It was rumored that last April would be Vince's Trains last appearance, but he was there. He had set his prices reasonably and unloaded a ton of inventory. This might be his last York.
• Arttista figures was absent. I thought he had quit, but later heard his wife had a health issue.
• Barry (Barry's Trains of Elizabethtown, PA) was in attendance. His storefront has been closed for nearly a year. The rumor is that he will open it from December 5-24 for a "blowout" sale (whatever that means) and then close it for good.
• I would guess that Brown Hall will be eliminated for next April. Beth's departure left the building about half empty. The remaining vendors could easily be moved to either Purple or Orange.
• All the halls had some holes (empty tables). Business at Orange, Silver, Blue, Red and White was the most vigorous, IMO.

Friday was well attended and people seemed to buying with both hands. I was in every hall that day and people everywhere seemed to be buying stuff. Lots of bargains. I spent way more than intended. To me, it felt like there was an atmosphere of "I'm going to get what I want NOW".

Just before 5 on Friday, I spoke with a vendor in the Orange Hall. He told me the afternoon was terrific, despite a poor Thursday and slow morning. At dinner on Friday, I spoke with a friend who sells Lionel post-war in the Silver Hall. He told me this was his best York ever, exceeding $7,500 in sales.

I'd have to say, despite the visible aging of the attendees, the reports of York's demise are greatly exaggerated.

Hope that helps,

George