The Scale Coupler Quick Service Subscription Form Do you want to read a magazine devoted to the most popular scale in model railroading? If so, subscribe to The Scale Coupler An HO Scale Model Railroad Journal Or, send $2.00 for a sample issue! SUBSCRIPTION FORM Please start my subscription to The Scale Coupler immediately. My check or money order is enclosed. You may charge your subscription to :_American Express _MasterCard _ Optima _Visa Card # __________Expire __ __Signature _______ _ 01 Year (6 issues) - $17.50, U. S. A. only. Name,________________________ _ ____ Admess,__________________________ __ City, State, Zip, _________________________ Scale modeled_ __Prototype followed _______Telephone ______ _ Send to: Circulation Manager, The Scale Coupler, PO Box 7032, Fairfax Station, VA 22039-7032. Protol i Vol. XII, No.3 May-June 1990 Editor C. Keith Jordan features Publisher Frank A. Pearsall Prototype Modeler's Notebook: Art Director Susan Gamble DuPont 80,000 Gallon Tank Car............................... 13 James Kress SUBSCRIPTION RATES: U.S.A .. 2nd Class ...... SI 7.75 per year. check or money order Prototype Profile Canada... .. .... S24.ooperyear(payable in U.S. funds) Foreign ......................... S29.OO peryear(Payable in U.S. funds) The Pocono Northeast Railway ............................... 17 ADVEImS1NG: Prototype Modeler reserves the right to refuse Michael Collins any ad not in keeping w~h its policies. Advertising rates are ava ilable upon written request to: PM Plans: Canadian Pacific Advertising Director Prototype Modeler Standard Toohouse ................................................... 24 PO Box 7032 Fairfax Station. VA 22039-7032 Julian Cavalier 703250-1515 When making this request. please provide your nine digit Zip code. It will speed up delivery of your package. How The Prototype Does It - Rock Fall Fences .... 26 AUTHORS: Manuscripts are welcome. Author guidelines are Thornton Waite available upon written request. Manuscripts may be submit­ ted on diskette for use on the Macintosh family of comput­ ers. Currently. the following word processing programs are A Decade of the New England, in use at Prototype Modeler: Berkshire & Western .................................................. 28 MacWrite II (Version 1.Ov2) from Claris Corporation Word (Version 4.0) from Microsoft Corporation John Nehrich Send manuscripts to: PM Photostudy: SFRD Reefers 35998 and 35820 .... 40 Keith Jordan. Editor Prototype Modeler C. Keith Jordan PO Box 16 126 Shawnee. KS 66203-{J 126 DEALERS: Dealers may request a dealer sample package Military Freight Equipment ....................................... 42 and terms by writing to: Thornton Waite Dealer Service Director Prototype Modeler PO Box 7032 Fairfax Station. VA 22039-7032 When making this request. ",lease provide your nine digit Zip departments code. It will speed up delivery of your package. Warranty and lim~ationsofliabil~: Prototype Modelerhereby certifies that most of the information presented herein is On the Point .......... .... ....... ....... .... ..... ..... ..... ...... ...... ........ ...... ..... 4 useful and correct. Prototype Modeler is not responsible for model railroad activities arising out of material presented PM Junction .............................................................................. 6 herein. Mention of any product. goods or service does not constitute endorsement by Prototype Modeler. Now Arriving ................. ........ ...... .... ..... .......... ..... ....... .......... ..... 8 Prototype Modeler (ISSN 0734-1482) is published bi-monthly Reporting Marks ....................................................................... 10 by Green Lantern Press Ltd .. 6002 Schoolhouse Woods Rd .. PM Interchange ................... ..................................................... 45 Burke . VA 220 15-274 1 (703 250-15 15). Single copy price is S3.OO in the U. S.. higher e lsewhere. Annual subscription price is S17.75 in the U. S.. S24.OO in Canada and S29.oo in other foreign countries (payable in U.S. funds). Second c lass On the cover: New England, Berkshire & Western number 428, Alco class of postage paid at Burke. VA and at additional mailing offices. ' 10, drifts downgrade at Bartonsville, Vermont, on a crisp fall day. The pride POSTMASTER: send address change to Prototype Modeler. PO Box 7032 . Fairfax Station. VA 22039-7032. of the NEB&W is evident by the recent painting of the trim consolidation replete with white drivered tires and cab striping, The short consist will glide Copyright 1990 by Green Lantern Press Ltd. All rights re­ served. Contents of this magazine may not be reproduced to a stop just west of the grade crossing, allowing the brakeman to hop off, in any manner wnnoul wrillen permission of the publisher. Regarding trademarks a nd copyright notices of others. they throw the switch, and flag the crossing for a trailing point switch move, are not placed at every occurrence in this magazine. Behind him looms that quintessential symbol of New England, the covered Information is used in an editoria l fashion only and to the benefit of the trademark or copyright holder. There is no bridge, Author John Nehrich reflects on the recreation of such scenes in the intention of infringement. article beginning on page 28, Photo by John Nehric h. ---------------------------------------------------------May/June 1990---------------3 On the Point Ed WOj tas College of Model Railroadin' Knowledge promises an exciting array of thin gs relating to layout design. I urge you to join - you won't be disappointed. n this issue PM is offering part I of a lengthy article on For more information write Layout Design SIG Mem­ I the New England, Berkshire & Western, the club bership, c/o Richard Steinmann, 2412 Myrtle Lane, layout of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, Reston, Virginia 22091-0000. New York. The layout was first featured in Railroad Model Craftsman over ten years ago and since then has PM Departments been widely covered and has earned a reputation of being one ofthe best layouts in the country. Why another ll magazines contain departments, to facilitate han­ article then? Well, this one is different. Author John A dling or labeling of articles or contributions. Some­ Nehrich not only tells us the "history" of the effort, but times it's not so clear what those departments are all offers insight, reflection, philosophy and lessons learned. about, especially with the tendency towards alliterative As a result, the article is mostly text with good photo names or railroad metaphors. Here are the departments coverage but we've declined to run maps, diagrams or at Prototype Modeler: On the Point is the editorial page, schematics, as the previous articles have done that quite courtesy of yours truly. PM Junction are the letters to well. John's well written narrative is, I think, a change of editor, and sometimes the venue to correct mistakes or pace that will cause you to give more thought to your own clarify. Now Arriving are the latest releases of what's new modeling efforts. Think of it as a correspondence course from the manufacturers. Reporting Marks is the review from the College of Model Railroadin' Knowledge. of selected new items, especially those with wide applicability. Prototype Modeler's Notebook is a short (2- The Layout Design SIG 3 pages) article that deals with kitbashing or modeling freight cars, locomotives or other eqUipment. The key n the January/ February "On the Point", I talked here is short. PM Profile is an article that profiles a I about the need to be involved in operation as a tool for railroad, its operations and other areas in a comprehen­ layout design as well as fun. I realize that not everyone sive manner, from a modeler's viewpoint. We used to is as fortunate as some to live in an area where there are have PM Portfolio, but I couldn't determine a real diffe.r­ operating layouts or to be a part of an operating group. ence, so that is being dropped in favor of PM Profile. How The next best thing to being there, as they say, is to join the Prototype Does It deals with one aspect of railroad the Layout Design Special Interest Group. The SIG is operations, focusing on the modeling possibilities. Again, open to membership by anyone, whether you are a this is usually a "shorty". PM Interchange is your editorial NMRA member or not. General membership is $12.00 page. It's chance to expound a viewpoint or an idea about ($15.00 for Canadian and overseas) and covers at least prototype modeling. Covered Wagon Trail, though dor­ 4 mailings, which might take more than one calendar mant, will be back. It's the coverage ofthose beautiful Es year to publish. What do you get? Well, you get the and Fs (we won't forget the Alcos, Eries, FMs and LayoutDesignNewswhich is full of informative columns Baldwins!), with their glorious paint schemes, with full covering layouts built or being built, tidbits on design color renderings in a fold-out format. And, this month and other ideas. Also published is Layout Design Jour­ we're introducing two "new" departments: PM Photos­ nal which is a once a year effort featuring articles on tudy which will focus on prototype equipment with a layouts, give and take on many designs, trends, or just large photograph to accompany text on the Singular plain fads. It also covers the design process, operations, subject, and PM Plans, which will offer scale drawings of and important design elements. Regular contributors railroad equipment and structures. These two depart­ include