NYCSHS Modeler's E-Zine
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st NYCSHS Modeler’s E-zine 1 Quarter 2014 Vol. 4 Number 1 An added focus for the Society on NYC Modeling Table of Contents NYC Models of Don Wetzel 1 & 18 By Noel Widdifield The NYC Piney Fork Branch 22 Railroad By Seth Gartner NYC Battery Houses from the 38 Engineering Dept. By Manuel Duran-Duran Modeling NYC Battery Houses 44 From the Harmon Files Seth Gartner’s Piney Fork Branch railroad is set in By Larry Faulkner Minerva, OH and has been a 12-year project. It is not NYC Modeling in S-scale 51 your typical four-track main. (Page 22) By Dick Karnes The Paint Code Triangle 61 Check out the regular NYCentral Modeler feature, “From The New By Peter Weiglin York Central Engineering Department” by Manuel Duran-Duran. It offers scale drawings of NYCS structures that you can model. Preparing the Basement 64 By Pete LaGuarda The NYCentral Modeler focuses on providing information31 about modeling of the railroad in all scales. This issue NYCRR’s West Side Freight 71 features articles, photos, and reviews of NYC-related Lines - Part 3 By Ron Parisi models and layouts. The objective for the publication is to help members improve their ability to model the New The NYCSHS provides considerable York Central and promote modeling interests. NYC Railroad information that is very useful for modelers. Pages 2 & 4. The NYC Models of Don Wetzel We contacted Don Wetzel, the engineer on the famous NYC M-497 that set a World Speed Record on July 23, 1966. I was curious to see if Don was a NYC modeler. He is. To see his collection of NYC models and have a look at his layout read about him on page 18. NYCentral Modeler 1st Quarter 2014 1 New York Central System Historical Society The New York Central System publication of the NYCSHS. Historical Society (NYCSHS) was Only available to members, organized in March 1970 by the each issue contains a wealth combined efforts of several of information. From steam former employees of the New to diesel (and electric), from York Central Railroad. The freight to passenger, from NYCSHS is chartered as a non- branchline to mainline, and Board of Directors profit corporation under the laws from the early days of R.J. Barrett, C.J. Beargie, A.F. Biehler, Jr., J. Epperson, T.R. of the state of Ohio. The mission Vanderbilt to the waning Gerbracht, S.H. Lustig, D.T. of the NYCSHS is to perpetuate months of Young and Mackay, R.C. Schiring, D. the legacy of the New York Perlman, the Central Simonaitis, R.L. Stoving, J.C. Central System and its Headlight covers it all. Our Suhs, N.F. Widdifield predecessor lines and subsidiary Annual Meetings are also Directors Emeriti: A.K. Bush, roads through the acquisition and not to be missed, focusing on P.T. Carver, J.W. Mills, J.P. preservation of their various the preservation of New Quinlivan (Founder) histories, traditions, documents, York Central railroad history records, and artifacts; and with informative speakers, Editor: Noel Widdifield Asst. Editors: Tom Bailey through the dissemination of presentations, and tours. The John Martin accurate information in a manner Society also has many NYC Proof Editor: Julie Sanders that is consistent with good reference books and Engineering Dept: Manuel Duran-Duran stewardship and preservation. drawings available for Harmon Files: Larry Faulkner Your membership gets you four purchase. Membership is Layout Drawing Artist: issues of the popularly acclaimed open to all; so don't delay; Frank Knight Central Headlight, the official join today! The NYCSHS Modelers’ Committee For almost three years, we have had an official modeling committee that has focused on modeling the NYCS. This has been a hard-working committee. The members of the committee are: Ron Parisi, Brian Marotta, Dave Mackay, Ralph Schiring, Tom Ball, Jeff English, Noel Widdifield, Dave Staplin, Paul Pickard, Larry Faulkner, Manuel Duran- Duran, Kyle Coble, Dan Seligmann, Seth Lakin, and Rich Stoving. We have a Yahoo Group for the committee and have had a meeting a month to work on several projects. We continue to bring new modeling features to the Society. We released the NYC Panel- Side 55-ton hopper and are working on the 19000 caboose. We are currently working with Accurail to release an MDT Reefer. We are working on several other projects, like gondolas, tank cars and passenger cars, but if you have some ideas for us or would like to join us, contact us at [email protected] NYCentral Modeler 1st Quarter 2014 2 Do It Now! By President R. L. Stoving One beautiful afternoon in the late Century. But as we all know, it was not to summer of 1967 found Nancy and me be. Within a half year, the 20th Century perched atop a wing wall of the Croton Limited was no more. Aqueduct syphon house that is a couple of miles north of Cold Spring, NY. Long a I’d dropped the ball before, and I would favorite spot for rail photographers, it is drop it again. There would always be beside the north portals of New York steam; SS DU in my hometown would Central’s famous twin bores that pierce always be there; the wooden, one-lane Breakneck Ridge, with the mighty Hudson road bridge over the tracks north of town River a mere stone’s throw away. would never be replaced. All, and so much more that I once knew, became We’d often visited this location, enjoying a history. quiet day that was only occasionally broken by waves lapping the shore in the If there’s a moral to this tale, it’s Do It wake of passing river craft and of course Now. Take photos, make sketches, ask the roar of a passing train. I had my questions. That which we take for granted camera, but took only a couple of shots, today will not always be there; those who because that which passed then was only a know answers will not always be there to poor shadow of that which had once ask. Do It Now! polished the rails below. Nancy was expecting the birth of our first As noted elsewhere in this edition, Rich’s child soon, and we both knew this would layout is featured in the Jan 2014 edition of be the last time that we could enjoy the Model Railroader. Several photos of his freedom to railfan as a couple without the layout are also included in their online responsibilities of parenthood. So we photos for the month. stayed longer than usual, enjoying the http://mrr.trains.com/how-to/model- serenity of the Hudson Highlands. train-layouts/2013/11/the-new-york- central-hudson-division-layout-gallery Close to sunset, I heard the unmistakable chant of EMD units approaching from the south and realized that it was time for the Century to appear. The chant changed tone as the engines entered the short tunnel, and then out popped #25, curving slightly to the east before entering the tangent that is parallel to the river. Moments later the train’s iconic observation-lounge cleared the bore, her trademark tail sign already aglow in the gathering dusk. It was a beautiful sight, Rich’s L-3b Mohawk 3037 passing an and some 46 years later I can still see it in eastbound passenger train on local track 4. my mind. But I never thought to record it (Photo from Model Railroader) on film. Surely there would always be a NYCentral Modeler 1st Quarter 2014 3 From the Cab Each time I sit down to write something for this The NYCentral Modeler column, I find that I have so many topics that I want to write about that I have a hard time This publication of the NYCSHS is for the choosing only one. purpose of providing NYCS modeling information. It is a publication by the NYCSHS For the last couple of months I have been setting Modeling Committee –- all rights reserved. It up the new NYCSHS website and the new may be reproduced for personal use only. It is “Collinwood Shop”, our online hobby shop. not for sale. I have also spent a considerable amount of time We encourage articles and photos submitted working with our Modeling Committee to roll out for publication. Materials submitted are the hoppers we have offered for sale and now the considered to be gratis and no reimbursement MDT reefers. Our plan is to bring out a new model will be made to the author(s) or the at least three times a year; and that keeps us pretty photographer(s) or his/her representative(s). busy. The Society reserves the right to reject, for any Much of my time is taken up with calling and reason, any material submitted. emailing members to try to get them to contribute Please contact the editor for submission to our magazine here. So far, we have been able to information and guidelines. We have a style keep the flow of articles and photos coming; so we guide to be used for articles and will send it to haven’t had to miss a publication. any aspiring author. Photos should be We are now in our membership renewal season, submitted at not less than 640 x 480 pixels and and I see all of the membership forms as they come in JPG, TIFF or PDF format. Statements and through, and I am amazed at how many members opinions made are those of the authors and are modelers. I only wish that more of you would don’t necessarily represent those of the Society.