Hi guys, I joined this forum ages ago, but never became active. every once in a while i look for something different, and have decided to check things out here. I've already learned the value of caffeine in the morning, following a few poorly worded posts at around 7 in the morning! sorry for my lack of coherence! Anyways, to get down to the basics, Here is the When/What/Who/Where/How of my model railroading goals. WHEN: 1979 (loosely)/ Current Day WHERE: The general area between Philadelphia and New York City, Specifically the Northeast Corridor in northern New Jersey WHO: Conrail, Amtrak, NJ DOT/NJ Transit WHAT: Main line Electric trains, Commuter trains, Local diesel powered freights. My roster is over 50% electric. I had begun to electrify my layout with Catenary but concerns over the "lifespan" of the current layout have prevented me from going further. Still, i have some Catenary towers built, complete with grab irons and insulators. HOW: HO scale. Right now i only have a small 4x8 I've been continually updating since i was 14, and plans for modules based in the Philly area. No room for a true NEC layout, but it hasn't stopped me from collecting the right equipment. Here are some pics- A trio of E44A electrics pass a set of Silverliner III Electric Multiple Units. The E44s are by Alpha, the Silverliners are resin kits by IHP. Re-patched BLI GG1. Started off as a Penn Central unit, managed to remove the Penn Central logos without marring the paint beneath. #4840 is the first production GG1, and second oldest only to old rivets. #4840 also made it to the final retirement date for Conrail's GG1s. I'm currently trying to build up a fleet of 1970s era Amtrak equipment. I had originally started modeling the modern day, and so i have several AEM7s, Acelas, and HHP8s, with matching modern Amtrak cars. My Broadway GG1 and some E60Chs by American GK make up my "old" Amtrak motive power. Four axle diesels like the GP15-1 in the back do the majority of my freight switching. On my layout, it is to small for most of my Conrail switchers to fit, so i "interchange" with an industrial switcher, usually either a Trackmobile or this 44 tonner, depending on "when" i feel like modeling.
Good to have you engaged again. I am always a fool for any GG1. Some of my earliest memories are of getting off a train in Philadelphia and having one at the point.
Hi G_E_C, nice to have you become an active photo contributor, also an active hot high-wirer, at least in the planning stage. Interesting side note...two of the Pennsy's 44-Tonners were bought by Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, MS, and were still in operation well into the 1970's. Unfortunately I didn't think to get their builder's plate numbers when I worked at the Yard in '68.
