PRR/Conrail Juniata Division Engineering Report

[Dave V]

Sorry, guys, was out fishing all day...  Brought home 9 lbs of catfish from up near the Alabama border.

That seperate building is the baggage and express storage building and yes, I'd try to model it.

I've yet to find plans for the station, but that's not to say they don't exist.

I have a whole book put out by the PRRT&HS called Lewistown and the Pennsylvania Railroad which has some partial photos of the back.  I can scan them in.   It actually sits on a slope and at least for a peroid in tbe 50s there was an LCL track and platform at the rear.

[Chris333]

It's brick. Laser time would be astronomical. Plus wood isn't the best medium for brick.

Ah crap I didn't even notice the main building.

[DKS]

Yes, the station has certainly seen a lot of changes over the years. I found these gems after a bit of digging--





But the back has eluded me. Dave, if you can scan those images, this could get wrapped up quickly.

[DKS]

Dave, many thanks for these scans. The back of the building looks much simpler; ought to be easy. However... some liberties will have to be taken owing to the slope of the ground and how the stairs run up beside the baggage building. So it'll have to be accepted as a "reasonable likeness" as opposed to an "accurate model."

How flexible are you willing to be with respect to such liberties--and realizing that, as a kitbash, there will be some distinct differences in such details as where window and door openings are located?

Ad one final question, any idea as to the station's rough dimensions? If not, I'd just wing it.

P.S. That thing next door was a hotel? I've seen more attractive-looking factories. I think you could probably bash it from the new Atlas Middlesex kit...

[Dave V]

Dave,

Liberties are alright...  Yeah, if I were doing the whole scene from scratch I'd add the slope, but this is a retrofit, so liberties are fine.  I think the features that scream Lewistown the most are the central tower, the platform roof, and the color scheme.

Not sure on dimensions.

It is bound to look more accurate than the current stand-in:



EDIT:  Yes, that was originally a hotel and then by the 50s was falling out of use.  At one time it had Lewistown's freight agency and a bar in the basement.  As a matter of fact I had suggested bashing it from the Middlesex Manufacturing kit in that kit bash contest thread.

[DKS]

Dave, just to confirm: you want the model to represent the current refurbished state, as opposed to its original configuration? I ask because some functional changes had been made, as I'm sure you're aware. Examples:

The west end had a loading dock for trucks, instead of three windows it had when originally built and in its refurbished state.

The north side had a freight car siding. (I now have reference images for the siding when in use, but none for its current configuration.)

I ask because you have an opportunity to add the freight siding and truck loading dock in their operational state, which in my mind would add more interest.

If you'd like something close to its current configuration, I think I'd put out an APB to anyone in the Lewistown area to run out and grab just a couple shots of the back of the station, unless you're not that "fussy" about how it looks.

One other observation: owing to where you have a grade crossing close to the end of the station platform, you'd have to do away with the platform roof extension which bears the station sign.

[Dave V]

DKS,

There's an HO model of this station at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania that does what it my mind is a nice compromise between its more utilitarian function and its current state.  It's also not a perfect replica, but pretty darned close.  These are my photos:

















It does keep the freight door on the end, which is correct for the 1956-1980 era I do.  Yep, I'd be OK with that.

EDIT:  I'm not worried about the eastbound waiting shelter.  The one above is a much abbreviated form of the one that sat at Lewistown, and if I wanted to represent it, I could move the shelter from Spruce Creek.  My shelter is an actual PRR Plan B shelter, but I don't think there was one at Spruce Creek.  It was added before I retroactively fit the prototype names.

[DKS]

Excellent. Thank you for these; they're every bit as helpful as the proto images. I'm off and running...

[Dave V]

Excellent. Thank you for these; they're every bit as helpful as the proto images. I'm off and running...

Thanks, can't wait to see what you come up with!

[Bob Bufkin]

Dave I know your a member same as me but have you contacted anyone at the PRR&HS site.

http://www.prrths.com/newprr_files/newPRRLewistownArchives.htm

[DKS]

Thanks, can't wait to see what you come up with!

Just don't get too excited; this is, after all, a kitbash. Alternatively, I could make this a resin kit, but that would push the project out a couple of months minimum.

So, with that in mind, I wonder if anyone else would be interested in a kit...?

[Dave V]

I'm good for either...  I have no set timetable, and am just happy to have such a talent on the case!

[Dave V]

Dave I know your a member same as me but have you contacted anyone at the PRR&HS site.

http://www.prrths.com/newprr_files/newPRRLewistownArchives.htm

Excellent idea.  I will ask!

[Dave V]

Just fiddling around...!

[Ian MacMillan]

Me likey