My wife is fond of making fun at the way marketers use the phrase “Collect them all” when they are trying to entice you to buy more of the crap they want to sell you. Now I am guilty of the same. The eighth ACY FM H16-44 has joined the roster of the LK&O. I [...]
The LK&O roster includes a Genesis SD70MAC “Spirit of Cumberland” because CSX is part of the LK&O and therefore must be represented in motive power. Like on the prototype the big CSX six axle diesel will pull coal trains out of the mountains of Maryland to far away consumers. However, rarely in real life do [...]
The big road locomotives get all the attention and are usually the romance of railroading. But the hard, down in the trenches work is done back home by the lowly switchers. Working the classification yard sorting cars, pulling the local across town, or spotting cars at the local industries, the railroad would come to a [...]
One lingering challenge in the design of the LK&O is how to introduce elements (locomotives and rolling stock) from a wholly different time period into the scene in a manner that minimizes the negative visual impact. The situation is created as a result of conflicting interests. I want to model the AC&Y and I really [...]
In actual history the AC&Y railroad was merged into the Norfolk & Western railroad in 1964. To quote Wikipedia “In 1964, the former Wabash; Nickel Plate; Pittsburgh and West Virginia Railway; and Akron, Canton and Youngstown Railroad were brought into the system in one of the most complex mergers of the era.” The really cool [...]
It is late and I really should be in bed. There is another busy work day coming quickly but I couldn’t resist the urge to share my find. Some time back I stumbled across a web site for a hobby shop in Australia. To my surprise they listed Atlas #9539 AC&Y locomotive #200 as being [...]
I am not a big eBay’er but you can’t beat it when you are looking for out of production MRR stuff. Last week I found, bid on and won an Atlas locomotive PT#9539 F-M H15-44 AC&Y #200. New in the box. And at an attractive price. This part number is nowhere to be found at [...]
My Genesis SD-70MAC Spirit of Cumberland arrived today. What a beautifully detailed locomotive. The quality of the paintwork and level of detail is stunning. If it runs as good as it looks I will be one very happy camper. If only I had some rails to place it on. All in due time I suppose. [...]
The Thomas Subdivision is the CSX line that runs through Kitzmiller MD. Actually, it goes through Blaine WV which is the itsy-bitsy little town just across the Potomac river bridge from Kitzmiller. Nevertheless, it is the coal mine haul that will be modeled on the LK&O. Thanks to an email advertisement from Pacific Western Rail [...]
Google is my friend. The mere fact that I can search countless hobby shop inventories from the comfort of my home is amazing. We live in a rural area which is a little piece of heaven on earth however one penalty we pay is the fact that it is a minimum 3 hour round trip [...]
…the Akron Canton and Youngstown RR is not a fallen flag? …the AC&Y interchanges CN at Delphos and CSX at Mogadore? …unit grain trains move from Michigan to western Maryland? …endless coal drags move from western Maryland to Michigan? …everything is 1/87th size? …some guy is having a blast in his basement? You would be [...]