trainmaster bob

Opinion versus Fact: Why Opposing Beliefs Leave No Room for Compromise Between Republicans and Democrats

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Copyright © 2012 Robert Ringer
ROBERT RINGER is a New York Times #1 bestselling author and host of the highly acclaimed Liberty Education Interview Series, which features interviews with top political, economic, and social leaders. He has appeared on Fox News, Fox Business, The Tonight Show, Today, The Dennis Miller Show, Good Morning America, The Lars Larson Show, ABC Nightline, and The Charlie Rose Show, and has been the subject of feature articles in such major publications as Time, People, The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Barron’s, and The New York Times.

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We subscribe to Stansberry’s Investment Advisory. The December2011 newsletter was not the normal investment advice format. Instead it was a great read about what is happening in the United States of America right now! Porter Stansberry feels so strongly about what he has written he has also given permission to forward this to everyone you can to help get the message out. The 15 page newsletter is scanned and present below for all to read. Please read this and than take some quite time by yourself and think about what you have just read.  To make the page larger to read hold down the Control button and hit the + sign on your keyboard.

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Bob Stafford

When the layout in Granite Falls, Washington  had to be torn down in two days the packing around the buildings was not the best. The boxes where stored at a friends house for a couple of more years before I found a place to store them in. Now that I am building my new layout I am slowing repairing the buildings for use on the new layout. My Walthers Cornerstone coal dealer silo had the coal shoots broken off the front of it. I was only able to find one of them. I purchased from Mico-Mark their Complete Starter Kit for resin casting. I took the one remaining support for the coal shoots, cut a piece of .10″ inch Evergreen styrene to cover the hole where the coal shoot is glued in place. I made a plastic box from .40″ styrene and glued the support to the box. I than poured the liquid latex rubber mix to the box with my master and made a latex mold. The following day I took the mold out of the box and made my first resin casting. The box with my master, the blue latex mold and the three castings can be seen in this photo. I am glad I purchased this casting set. It will come in handy repairing my structures and also making parts for my scratch built structures.

Below are photos of my HO layout that was taken down when I got divorced. The layout was built in a double car garage. It really was two railroads that interacted with each other. A double track mainline circled one side of the garage at a higher elevation with 6 hidden staging tracks under Coal Creek. The other railroad was the Susquehanna and Hudson River, a line running from Kingston, PA to a connection with the New Haven Railroad at Maybrook, New York. This single track line had the following stations:

Kingston – Double ended yard with interchange tracks to the Lehigh Valley and Erie Lackawanna

Coal Creek – Home of the Shannon Mining Company anthracite coal breaker.  Coal creek also had several industry tracks including a freight house, meat packer and a warehouse.

Lake Junction – Interchagne point with the Central Railroad of New Jersey, which is the double track line that circles the one side of the garage. Lake Junction is also the support yard for serving Port Brandan. The Port Brandan Drill works out of this yard.

Port Brandan – A typical Northeastern Pennyslvania industrial town with brick factory buildings and a large team yard and freight house. Industries included Pocono Mountain Brewing, Brandans Chocolate Mik Factory, Keystone Grocery Wholesale, Pyramid Slate Factory, Laddrick Warehouse, Cohen Scrap Metals, Norman Wholesale Plumbing. The freight house had two tracks serving it, a overhead crane for unloading flat cars and gondola cars and three team tracks. This complex would hold a total of  26 40 foot cars.

Sussex – A typical farm town with a stone grist mill, two feed dealers, a coal and lumber dealer and a Bordan’s Milk Creamery.

Lime Ridge – Home of Pennsylvania Cement and a interchange with the Pennsylvania Railroad. The Little Lehigh River also flowed through here. The mainline was on one side of the river, and the siding on the other side of the river.

Maybrook – Interchange with the New Haven Railroad.  Maybrook had a run around track, cripple track and 3 stub interchange tracks.

The Kingston to Maybrook line operated with DCC. The double track loop operated with DC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lake Junction yard in the forground, Coal Creek in the background and Sussex on the far right side.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I always remembered the photos in Model Railroader Magazine of the Ohio & Virgina OO scale layout in the late 1950′s. This layout was based on the Norfolk and Western and featured its mainline running beside a major river and even modeled a yard on an island in the middle of the yard. I finally had the space to model a river with railroad tracks running beside it on this layout.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This view shows the miners homes and the brick street in front of them at Coal Creek and the yard at Lake Junction on the right. The double track loop is emerging from stagging on the extreme right. The industrial town of Port Brandan is to the rear of the layout.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sussex Coal and Lumber was built using Walther’s Cornstone kits.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are some photos taken of my layout, the Memories Branch of the Erie Lackawanna. The branch is a combination of my memories from when I first started on the railroad. I wanted to model the B&P, but just did not have the room to do it right so took some modelers license and modeled Bath pretty faithfully with the Lackawanna and N&B yards and the LNE mainline beside them. I have also modeled Penn-Dixie No 6 cement mill that was located here also which is served by the LNE and DLW. At the west end of the yard I have modeled Keystone Portland Cement which is served by the N&B.

From Bath the mainline continues across the aisle on a drop down that has the DLW Bath yard on it to Dexter Crossing. Here the mainline crosses over its self and continues  to the other end of the garage where it loops back along the wall again. At the far end of the garage by the  garage door is located the town of Harmony. Harmony Siding and the West Track are located here. Inside the loop are two stub tracks, the House Track the serves the freight house and the Industry Track that serves Harmony Meat Packers and Griffin Brothers Coal & Oil.

Next is Johnny Rucks spur and Martins Creek Jct. and the short branch to Alpha Portland Cement. The main crosses back over itself here on the diamond at Dexter Crossing and enters the town of Prosperity. This is a typical Northeastern Pennsylvania or Northern New Jersey industrial town filled with brick industry buildings.

The mainline then comes into Lime Jct which is the connection with the Old Road mainline of the Lackawanna Railroad. Trains coming off the branch line pull into a long stub track and then back into the 4 track yard. On the other side of the Old Road Main is a spur track to Spiro Coal and Lumber and a spur to a limestone loader. Cars of limestone are taken to Martins Creek and Bath daily from this loader.

The Old Road is a loop that goes under the layout with 4 staging tracks to feed trains to and from the branch line.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Here is a URL for additional photos of the Warren Buffet Officers Special train that where taken by Keith Thompson later in the day at Skykomish and West Portal of Cascade Tunnel and on the east side of the maintains near Wenatchee.

http://www.pbase.com/locotrol/buffet_train

Erie Lackawanna Memories Branch Transportation Service Plan

Lime Junction Switcher

Switches Lime Junction. Builds the follow trains:

1^st Cement Drill:  cut off time 0800

Block 1 Erie Lackawanna cement cars and  loads of coal for Penn Dixie Cement.

Block 2 Lehigh and New England interchange cars

Block 3 Northampton and Bath interchange cars

Prosperity Drill:  cut of time 9 AM

All cars for spotting at Prosperity

Harmony Drill:  cut off time 10 AM

Block 1 All cars for Martins Creek

Block 2 All cars for spotting at Harmony.

Limestone Man cut off time 11 AM

All loads of limestone from the limestone loader at Lime Jct   blocked with cars for Alpha Portland Cement, Martins Creek 1^st out and limestone for Penn-Dixie No 6 second out.

Local Switching: Switch Spiro Coat &Lumber

2^nd Cement Drill out off 3 PM

Block 1 Erie Lackawanna cement cars and coal loads for Penn Dixie cement

Block 2 Lehigh and New England interchange cars

Block 3 Northampton and Bath interchange cars

 

 

 

1^st Cement Drill

Operates between Lime Jct. and Bath.

Out of Lime Junction handles Erie Lackawanna cement cars for Penn Dixie Cement, coal loads for Penn Dixie Cement. Pulls cement loads and empty coal hoppers. Spots empty cement cars. Box cars go next to the building, bulk cars on the next track over. Coal loads are spotted to the coal dock. Excess coal loads with no room to spot are set out on the Stub Track at Bath yard.

Lehigh and New England interchange cars are delivered to Track 5 in the Northampton and Bath yard. Interchange cars for the N&B are left on Track 4.

Cars received from the N&B are spotted to Track 2 (stub track).

Cars received from the L&NE are delivered to the interchange track in the DL&W yard.

Return trip to Lime Jct 1^st Cement Drill picks up the interchange cars from the N&B and L&NE and take the cars pulled from Penn Dixie Cement. All west cars (red chip) are set out en-route on the West Track at Harmony. Train arrives at Lime Jct. with car going east (Blue Chips). If any cars are received from connections for the branch they are handled to Lime Jct. for setout unless otherwise instructed by the General Yardmaster.

 

Prosperity Drill

Operates between Lime Junction and Prosperity. Does all local switching work at Prosperity. Takes any west cars (Red Chips) to Harmony and sets them out on the West Track. Any cars for Martins Creek, (White Chips) are set out at Johnny Rucks. Returns back to Lime Junction with all other cars that were picked up.

 

Harmony Roustabout

Operates between Lime Junction and Harmony and goes down the branch to Martins Creek. Does all local switching at Harmony, picks up any Martins Creek cars set out at Johnny Rucks, and switches Martins Creek.  All west cars (Red Chips) are left on the West Track at Harmony. Train returns back to Lime Jct with all other cars.

 

Limestone Train

 

Crew picks up loaded limestone cars from the loader at Lime Jct. and goes west. Cars for Martins Creek are set out at Johnny Rucks. Cars for Penn-Dixie No 6 are setout on the stub track in the DLW yard at Bath and the empty limestone cars in the track are picked up. After running around the train at Bath, crew returns to Martins Creek Jct and picks up the cars for Martins Creek out of Johhny Rucks and shoves down the branch and spots the limestone cars and pulls them empty limestone cars. Once done switching at Martins Creek the Limestone Train returns to Lime Jct and spots the empty cars at the limestone loader.

 

2nd Cement Drill

Operates between Lime Jct. and Bath.

Block 1 L&NE interchange cars

Block 2 N&B interchange cars

Delivers interchange to L&NE on Track 5 in the Northampton and Bath Yard

Delivers interchange to the N&B on Track 4 in the N&B yard

Picks up the N&B delivery, normally from Track 2 (Stub Track) in the N&B yard

Picks up loaded cement cars from Penn Dixie Cement

Picks up L&NE delivery from the LNE Interchange Track in the DL&W Bath Yard.

Blocks all west cars (Red Chips) together on the rear end before departing Bath.

Goes Down Martins Creek Branch and pulls the late cement loads.

Picks up all west cars from the West Track at Harmony, in block, behind the east cars (Blue Chips).

At Lime Jct. East cars (Blue Chips) are set out in the yard. Scranton crew takes cars west out of Lime Jct.

 

General Yardmaster

The General Yardmaster has control of all operations on the branch. The branch is Rule 93 Yard Limits territory. Crews operate on the branch between stations under the verbal authority of the General Yardmaster to do so. The General Yard master will supervise the operation of the switch crews on the branch and assign work or change work assignments as he deems necessary for the efficient operation of the railroad.

After the 1^st Cement Drill and LNE job has switched Penn-Dixie cement and pulled the early cement, the General Yardmaster will put the chips on the cars of late cement to be pulled in the afternoon.

After the N&B morning job has switched Keystone Cement, the General Yardmaster will put the chips on the late cement to be pulled by the afternoon N&B job.

After the Harmony Drill has switched Martins Creek, the General Yardmaster will put the chips on the cars of late cement for the 2^nd Bath Drill to switch.

When operations warrant General Yardmaster will operate 1^st Cement Drill with only cars for  Penn Dixie Cement and operate a Extra Bath Drill to handle cars to and from the L&NE and N&B.  Conditions that warrant the running of an extra are too many cars, train too long, or too many operators show up for operating secession. This creates an extra train for someone to run.

At times unit trains of coal are received at Lime Jct. for delivery to the L&NE or N&B. When these trains are received the General Yardmaster will call an extra crew and the road power is used to deliver the train at Bath.

 

Bath Interchange Crew

This crew operates the L&NE and N&B switch jobs. L&NE trains comes out of staging. Delivers cars to the DL&W and switches Penn Dixie Cement. Train picks up the cars from the L&NE interchange track in the N&B yard and then shoves caboose first back into staging. L&NE makes two trips daily, once in the morning and once in the late afternoon to switch Penn Dixie cement and deliver and pick up the interchange cars.

Northampton and Bath crew switches Keystone Cement and delivers and picks up cars from the DL&W/EL. Cars for the N&B are normally left in Track 4. Cars received from the N&B are normally put in Track 2, the stub track.

Penn-Dixie No 6 is served by both the EL and the LNE. Inbound cars from the LNE will have a black chip and a gray chip on them to indicate that they are to be spotted to the plant. Outbound cars for the LNE will have a black chip only on them to indicate they are to be picked up. As on the prototype there is not a separate track for each railroad. The cars of both railroads are mixed together. After switching out the LNE cars for pick up return the EL cars back to the plant for the EL crew to pick up.

 

Cement Mill Switching

At the mills the track closest to the building is the bag track for spotting box cars on. The second track is the bulk track to spot covered hopper and bottle cars on for bulk cement loading.  Penn-Dixie No 6 has an elevated coal dump to spot car of coal on. At Alpha Portland Cement the 3^rd track over is the coal track and the 4^th track over is the limestone track.

Cement mills normally where switched twice a day. In the morning the mill was loaded up with cars of coal, clinker cement , limestone, gypsum rock, and empty cement cars. Any cars of cement that where load at that time where pulled also. In the afternoon the mills where given a second switch to pull the remaining cars of cement loaded that day and spot any additional empty cement cars needed to hold the mill over until the next day’s morning switch.

 

Car Routing

 

After nearly 4 decades of pushing paper on the prototype railroads I do not find any enjoyment in dong the same thing in model form. I use color coded “chips” on the freight cars to direct their movements. Chips for stations will multiple spots will have the track or industry name on the chip for proper movement of the cars.

Color Code is as follows

Blue – Eastward traffic

Red – Westward traffic

Brown – Prosperity

Green – Harmony

White – Alpha Portland Cement Martins Creek

Gray – Penn Dixie Cement Bath

Black – Lehigh and New England

Orange – Northampton and Bath

Yellow – Lime Jct industry spots

When switching stations, pull any cars with chips of a different colors then those used for that particular station. If car has the same color chip on it as that station then the car stays on spot.

Penn Dixie No 6 Cement Plant is serviced by both the L&NE and the DL&W/EL. L&NE cars for spotting into the plant will have a black chip and a gray chip. Cars being pulled from the plant for the L&NE will have a black chip only on them.  Cars pulled by the EL crew will have mostly blue and red chips on them for movement east and west from Lime Jct.

People who have lived for generations in the Anthracite Coal Fields refer to themselves as “Coal Crackers.” These are a proud people who have lived the hard time and the good times of the mining industry. The houses in coal country are very unique to that area. Anyone who wishes to model the anthracite coal fields will need to have these signatures houses to say the layout is modeling Northeastern Pennsylvania.