The discussion about the Elmira branch brings back fond childhood memories.
I grew up in Elmira,NY. My family had a cottage on Seneca Lake with a Himrod
address. We use to go to the little store in Himrod and I often saw the steam
powered coal trains heading to Sodus Point. Himrod wasn't the only place I
watched them. My uncle had a farmette near the PA border across the road from
Pine creek and the Pennsy tracks. Two I10 decapods in front and one pushing or
midtrain echoing up the valley with 100 cars is something I was fortunate to
see and hear several times. Impressive for sure.
My dad was a model railroader and railfan and took me along. He got us in the
Southport roundhouse but I don't remember as much as I would like. The Niagara
Region of the NMRA had a convention in Elmira around 1956 or so. We went to the
Southport yard and rode around in a gondola behind what I think was a B6 0-6-0.
An engineer gave me the first coffee of my life in the cab of a diesel switcher
at Southport yard when my dad wrangled us ride. I really don't know why I'm not
a SPF like Bill Lane. Probably because I spent summers hanging around the Erie
freight house where my uncle Chuck worked. He and my dad worked together on the
layouts. First S and then HO. I was devistated when the man came to buy all of
the S.
For more S content, my mainline was completed this week. The golden spike was
actually the caulk we used to hold the track. My good friend Bert Mahr came
down here from Emmaus, Pa to give me a boot in the a** and we spent most of the
last two weeks on the layout. After a couple of tweeks, I was able to run one
of my Moguls and train for a couple of trouble free hours. Thanks,Bert.
We used Fredbed that we cut from Homasote when Homabed was between owners for
the mainline and passing tracks. I couldn't find Homasote near here and ended
up using 1/4" cork underlayment from Lowes for my yard area. It comes in 4 foot
by 25 foot rolls for about $65 and is much more uniform than Homasote. We put
it down with tile/carpet cement, rolled it and added weights overnight. Rolling
it out flat overnight before using it really made things easier. We used a very
thin layer of siliconized latex paintable caulk and weights to fasten the
track. After curing,adjustments can be easily made by a thin blade slipped
under the ties to cut the caulk.I took the blade from a snap off utility knife.
Wood ties hold as well as plastic flextrack. I've since found where to order
Homasote but I'm now glad I didn't find it.
Now for SSL&S. Finally I'm back in shape,my casting building is finished and
set up and I'm casting again. I'm replenishing my stock now but will also be
casting parts as needed to fill orders as I go. The price list and part
description will be on my website when I get a little further along.
I would like to know what is most wanted.
Fred Rouse
S Scale Locomotive & Supply
6721 East Blue Heron Lane
Inverness, FL 34452
352 344 4654
s-scaleloco@earthlink,net
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