CSX Hanover Subdivision

[mu26aeh]

After my recent locomotive purge over the summer, I was going thru the rest of my fleet and realized I'm down to about 4 locomotives that I need to get dcc decoders for.    The end is near, I see light at the end of the tunnel !!  Or is that another locomotive that will need a decoder coming at me ? 

[davefoxx]

Boy do I know that feeling.  I just sold two locomotives on eBay last week, and I'm planning to put up a few more soon.  I have several locomotives that I just don't run anymore, mostly because I changed eras and locale.  But, I'm expecting the release of approximately eight new Atlas locomotives this quarter.  Definitely time to purge!

DFF

[mu26aeh]

I got this in the mail today 

20151021_185518 by Adam Henry, on Flickr

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Nice!

[wm3798]

I like those things better when they're printed on the back of a $20 bill.

 

[mu26aeh]

During the second half of the Steelers/Bengals game, I heard a faint train horn, sounded like it was coming from Cumberland, MD.  Since I was so invested in watching Big Ben throw 3 INT during his return, I didn't pay much attention.  By the end of the game, I went back to Hagerstown yard and found this:

20151101_183055 by Adam Henry, on Flickr

The CSX MOW department was putting in some serious overtime today as they got a good portion of the yard ballasted today.  The west end was not done as there are switches that need to be replaced in the near future.  Here is the train getting ready to head East to finish unloading their train, after which they'll tie down in Hagerstown for the night. 

20151101_183113 by Adam Henry, on Flickr

Hopefully the CSX RR Police will keep the taggers away from the cars, as the Hanover Sub has had some recent problems.

***Crews were helped out today by a Proses Ballast Spreader.  Great little tool, saved a lot of time and headache.***

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Awesome!

[mu26aeh]

Looks like the railroad police failed to protect everything. I had this car painted black for years, intending to letter it for CSX. Having some free time today, I went about looking for an appropriate number for it. I found CSX 491750. Need to put some dullcoat on it after things dry.

Prototype photo:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2992781

My version:

20151102_174554 by Adam Henry, on Flickr

20151102_174608 by Adam Henry, on Flickr

[mu26aeh]

Had layout open today for NMRA open house.  A lesson in quantity vs quality.  Only had 10 visitors, but they included Rick and Linda Spano from Sceniced and Undecided fame.  I told them when I was trying to design layout on my own, I had used his trackplan for different ideas.  Also stopping by was Barry Schmidt, superintendent of local division of NMRA, who is also an N scaler to boot.  Layout design and execution was well received again and operated without any major hiccups as well.

Now that we are getting out of golfing weather, I'm hoping to get to work on finalizing some building placement and kitbashing that will be needed.  Money needs to be diverted from equipment acquisitions to getting more peco switches, so that ballasting can continue. 

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I've known Rick and Linda since I was a little kid. They're wonderful, wonderful people, and it's a treat every time I bump into them.

[jpec]

Had the good fortune to meet Rick and get a small group tour during the '06 NMRA Convention. Got to operate the rotary dumper and see the fireworks show.

I agree...I'd rather have ten quality visitors who are engaged vs. 100 nitpicking jackwagons who like critiquing your work but never build squat themselves...

Layout looks great.

Ed, when I went to type in '06 convention it auto-filled Hoagiefest...even my phone's obsessed with Wawa...

Jeff

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Ahahahaha.

My dad and I helped Rick run his layout during the tours during the 1993 Valley Forge NMRA convention. Everyone who came through was amazed that there was this 11 year old running that very same rotary dumper.

[mu26aeh]

The yardmaster at Hagerstown was in shock today when this showed up 

20151118_171634 by Adam Henry, on Flickr

" I'm not quite sure what track we can store this on ..... "

After a recent operating session on an HO scale layout, the owner jokingly (maybe ??) said the next session, everyone will be required to provide their own power.  Well, being in N Scale modeler, that could pose a problem.  I'm not certain I could hook up HO scale trucks to an N Scale engine, so I took the plunge and got an Intermountain SD40-2 HO Scale decorated for NS.  I missed out on a CSX model from same seller by a couple bucks.    After messing around with my Zephyr and figuring out how to access CV's above 255 and which CV's control the ditch lights, I think I have it set up.  Now only problem is waiting until January to operate it on layout again 

[R L Smith]

I see you're at least in keeping with the layout owner's favorite era.  If I decide to participate, I may go with a 1st-generation diesel for variety.  Do you think a RDG or WM unit will score any brownie points?   

[mu26aeh]

I see you're at least in keeping with the layout owner's favorite era.  If I decide to participate, I may go with a 1st-generation diesel for variety.  Do you think a RDG or WM unit will score any brownie points?   

I'm thinking RS-3 in WM Fireball to pull that local for the ethanol plant.