Model Train Journal

Happy Friday!

I've been painting some buildings this week, but didn't get a chance to take any shots.
Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas & Happy Holiday Season!

THIS IS THE POLAR EXPRESS! ALL ABOARD!!!!!!!





NS SD70M 2631 & the original NS heritage ES44AC lead 26E across the Conemaugh River in Johnstown, PA.


NS Dash-9 9633 leads 51V through Reidsville, NC on the Danville District.


NS Dash-9 9672 leads Jersey bound 18N through Hummelstown, PA on the Harrisburg Line.


In what may turn out to be my last shot of these classics, NS ES44AC 8109 leads 20W under the PRR signals at Pittsburgh Line MP 225 in Tipton, PA.


In a scene repeated countless times, a family gives a friendly wave to the crew of a N&W passenger train as they cross the state line into VA.

That B&W shot of the J is very reminiscent of the O. Winston link shots. Where the people just there or did you "encourage" then be "in the frame"?

thanks Chuck. The people were staged as part of the photo. A keen eye will catch they are in period dress.

A Lionel 225E that I purchased back in November. It turned out to be a bigger project than I thought at the time of buying it and as a result I have far more invested in it than its probably worth. In the end, it's a nice looking engine that runs great and gives me the satisfaction of knowing I gave it a new life following the nose dive it took at some point in its history.

Work it received....

Correct tender purchased for it.

New pilot truck since the original was badly damaged.

A new pilot/steamchest casting. The original had been reconstructed out of epoxy and I wanted something sturdier. I bought what was listed as a 225E part, but it ended up being a postwar 726 Berkshire part. It was my fault for not studying the photos more thoroughly, but some minor machining to realign the screw holes and the creation of a shim plate, and it fits the 225E with no problem.

Further inspection revealed that the smokebox door must have broken off, as the hinges were epoxied back on at the boiler front. A replacement was installed.

The wife and I visited the Mon-Yough Model Railroad Club in McKeesport, PA yesterday. Here are a few of the 163 photos I took. Great layout (HO).











George

For those that celebrate it, hope all can eke out a peaceful Christmas.





Looking forward to 2019!

Healey

Great photos everyone, thank you.

Christopher, I like your new layout and your old layout. They are both fascinating to observe in photos.

Next week could you post this one?

Marysville, PA - 8/9/10

It looks so surreal.

webenda wrote:Next week could you post this one?
[See photo above]
Marysville, PA - 8/9/10

It looks so surreal.

The water looks like glass.

A colorful mix of power outside BNSF's 31st St Yard in Denver, CO

Difficult shot Lucas, due to backlighting. For portraits, you can turn on the camera's flash but if your camera flash was capable of lighting that scene up it would have exploded in the attempt.

Corel PaintShop has a "Fill Light" feature. Is there any improvement with fill light?

It's brighter, with better contrast.

I tried to make melted snowman cookies

IMHO it is OK to use photo shop or whatever it is called when it makes the scene more visible.
I would like to see what opinion Lucas has of this.

I brightened the image a little from the original but decided to keep the editing to a minimum, to keep a more or less natural look to it.

robert. wrote:I tried to make melted snowman cookies

The snowmen don't look too happy about it, Robert. How did they taste?