1943 model train layout

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volunteercheng
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Re: 1943 model train layout

Post by volunteercheng » Sat Aug 03, 2019 11:04 am

I have been stationed in Everett before as well. Enjoyed it but the summers are a little rough for military sleep schedules. I am currently stationed in Jacksonville, FL so I have not really been home home to east Tennessee to live for 14 years now. I visited last week and it is nice to see the old ETWNC line converted to the Tweetsie Trail to at least be used instead of left to rot. Though for Carter County that sealed the fate of heavy industry coming into the county with no viable rail support. You should got visit for sure.
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Lee Bishop
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Re: 1943 model train layout

Post by Lee Bishop » Tue Aug 06, 2019 1:23 pm

I have been taking some close-up shots here and there for the heck of it...
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I also got a Hobby Master 1:48 scale MB/GPW and decided as it looks a little small among the mostly 1/43 scale vehicles, I placed in well into the trees in the background on the curve at Sadie, TN, along with a Solido 1/50 scale GMC, both of which were done up in stateside markings. Most visitors will never see these, and the GMC has been back there for over a year and no visitor has ever noticed it...
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volunteercheng wrote:
Sat Aug 03, 2019 11:04 am
I visited last week and it is nice to see the old ETWNC line converted to the Tweetsie Trail to at least be used instead of left to rot. Though for Carter County that sealed the fate of heavy industry coming into the county with no viable rail support. You should got visit for sure.
I used to go to the area at least once a year, growing up. I don't recall the ET&WNC RS-3 diesels, but I do recall the former Southern Pacific RS-11s they had and saw the Porter 0-6-0 fireless steam locomotive running several times (and even got to sit in the cab under steam in the 80s once).
I haven't been back to the area since they pulled the tracks up and to be honest, I'm not looking forward to seeing a trail there today.
But now that I know much more about the RR than I ever did as a kid, I'd love to get back there to check out some spots I didn't know about, including a section of dual-gauge track still embedded in concrete along a street in Elizabethton, as well as following the old line all the way to Boone, as roads either run close to or on tope of the old road bed almost the entire way.
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gerrykan
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Re: 1943 model train layout

Post by gerrykan » Wed Aug 07, 2019 4:57 pm

Lee Bishop wrote:
Tue Aug 06, 2019 1:23 pm
.....and saw the Porter 0-6-0 fireless steam locomotive......
First I have heard of these, a link for other curious folks: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fireless_locomotive
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Re: 1943 model train layout

Post by Lee Bishop » Thu Aug 08, 2019 8:04 am

I recently realized I’m at the 5th anniversary of the start of the layout.
So, here we are on August 18, 2014, the first train reaches the opposite end of the line. Only 6 days before, the first train moved on about 3 feet of track at the other end:

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5 years later, the same spot (and same locomotive):

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gerrykan wrote:
Wed Aug 07, 2019 4:57 pm
Lee Bishop wrote:
Tue Aug 06, 2019 1:23 pm
.....and saw the Porter 0-6-0 fireless steam locomotive......
First I have heard of these, a link for other curious folks: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fireless_locomotive
North American Rayon's 0-6-0 is listed in that link, perhaps the last steam locomotive running commercially in the USA for it's original owner for it's original purpose (never having once pulled any fan trains that I'm aware of). It is for sure part of the final operation of two different steam operated carries in interchange in the US (North American Rayon and the EWT&WNC, running 2-8-0s until 1967. The ET&WNC engines were later traded to the Southern RR for their steam program, one still runs today as it's original Southern RR #, 630 at the TN Valley RR at Chattanooga).
I have photos of myself in the cab under steam in the 80s (I really need to scan those), and I saw her running several times in my youth.
More info here:
http://www.cartercountyhistory.com/narc ... e-pot.html
https://www.steamlocomotive.info/vlocom ... splay=1145
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Re: 1943 model train layout

Post by gerrykan » Thu Aug 08, 2019 4:22 pm

Thanks for the additional links, there is nothing like watching a steam locomotive in action.
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Lee Bishop
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Re: 1943 model train layout

Post by Lee Bishop » Tue Aug 13, 2019 7:01 am

Last night, 5 years ago to the hour, I took a 'now' photo compared to the first time anything ran on the layout.
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There wasn't much track beyond the camera's view at the time. A friend with an HO layout was helping my lay track and wire it all into place (as I hadn't built a layout in many years before that) and he insisted we temporarily hook up some leads to the rails to run something. I'm just glad I got a photo of it then.
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Lee Bishop
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Re: 1943 model train layout

Post by Lee Bishop » Mon Aug 19, 2019 8:25 am

5 years exactly to the hour for the very first train ran to each end of the layout (the turntables weren't in yet, though), re-created last night with the same locomotive/cars matched as good as I could to the location and camera angle:

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Here is the 'now' photo in b/w:

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Re: 1943 model train layout

Post by Lee Bishop » Sun Oct 13, 2019 2:26 pm

Some crossing and no trespassing signs are going up all over, in response to frayed war nerves about the recent German spy team caught with plans to blow up key infrastructure points in the US!

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Re: 1943 model train layout

Post by Lee Bishop » Tue Oct 15, 2019 11:07 am

On the 12th of this month, I had my layout open for "Oly Ops," a charity event where people come from all over to run two op sessions in one day on local layouts.
Here are Toby Loftus and Eric Bessey from the Portland, Oregon area, taking a short photo break from running trains on the layout. Good guys, both!
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Re: 1943 model train layout

Post by YLG80 » Wed Oct 16, 2019 5:18 am

Your model train layout is really fantastic. And I love your very realistic photos !
Thank you so much for sharing the results of your passion with us.
Yves
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Lee Bishop
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Re: 1943 model train layout

Post by Lee Bishop » Wed Oct 23, 2019 12:47 pm

A sailor heading back to the USS Indianapolis waits for the westbound train to Johnson City, at Buladeen, Tennessee:
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On the other side the depot, a soldier lost looking for his unit for the 1943 Tennessee Maneuvers (note the empty M1919A4 machine gun on the mount) asks for directions:
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Re: 1943 model train layout

Post by Lee Bishop » Thu Oct 24, 2019 11:29 am

Along with the layout, I also have a related hobby of trying to find original items from the RR I model.
I just got this original ticket from the Linville River Railroad, a subsidiary of the ET&WNC, from the pre-war era. These are almost impossible to find, especially in unused condition as they were printed on very thin paper:
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Here it is framed facing the door to the room, underneath pages taken from some of the magazines that have featured my layout:
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And around the corner, the bottom three frames are two original timetables, and between them is an original train order for 1943 and a freight claim check from 1945 from the ET&WNC:
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Re: 1943 model train layout

Post by Lee Bishop » Wed Oct 30, 2019 10:03 am

Just adding more no trespassing signs...

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"Y'all git on outta h'yar!" :lol:
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Halloween!

Post by Lee Bishop » Thu Oct 31, 2019 8:42 am

I swore I saw the scale ghosts of conductor Cy Crumley and engineer Sherman Pippin. I snapped some shots, thinking when I looked later, they'd just be of empty track. Halloween came early for the ET&WNC!

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They just walked out of the cornfield at the Ensor farm, looked around, and Cy walked down the tracks to near the grade crossing at Sadie. Sherman went directly for # 11, which was sitting cold at the time. A chill came over the air...
As these two were gentlemen in life, I expect no evil from them now. As the locals said after I showed them the photos (taken from my Speed Graphic box camera), "Them ain't haints, they's wouldn't do nary a bit of evil h'yar!"
In other words, such distinguished men wouldn't come back as bad spirits. At the worst, I was told I might get spectral letters of admonishment over some of the working conditions on the layout.
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Re: 1943 model train layout

Post by Lee Bishop » Mon Nov 04, 2019 10:39 am

I created sets of scale builder plates, each with the right serial numbers and dates for ET&WNC ten-wheelers 9, 11, 12, and 14. I also used photos of the real number plates to make scale versions of them.
Bachmann did a great job on most of the engines but they always do their plates are opposite images of what they should be (black lettering on bronze which of course is opposite of how they looked in real life).
I converted a #12 to 9, rather easily, but the number plate had my stymied until I managed to find a good photo of the real one, then I added a light color background to the number as period photos (and movie film) of #9 during WW2 clearly show it wasn't red like 11 and 12's were.
So, you just print these on photo paper, 4X6 and they should be scaled right. I also included some 'no trespassing ET&WNC" signs as well and some period RR crossing signs I used on my own layout.
Click here for the images of the plates: https://flic.kr/p/2hwAdi5
I then punched them out using a "Maxi Punch Set" stock #473660 from Hobby Lobby. It's largest die was EXACTLY the right size needed for the front number plate.
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From there, once you have it punched right (you'll need to punch a couple to get the right position), I suggest running a dark yellow marker around the edges so it doesn't look like a paper disk when viewed from the side. I then glued them to the existing number plates using white glue. The finished product, I think, doesn't look bad:
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I did the builder plates much earlier and did them with an exacto knife, which is why I had to use a punch for the number plates. With this, I think you can improve the look at the front end of these, as well as making a #9 if you want one (Woodland Scenic dry transfers makes a set that is a perfect match for the cab and dome numbers)...
Just keep in mind if you pass this along to a model railroader, the number plates are from photos provided by the ET&WNC historical society and I created the builder plates myself, and they're copyrighted by me. Please don't print and sell them...
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