Great prototype for modeling. I am originally from New York State (granduncle and his wife lived in Elmira) but didn't quite get to witness steam action; almost the rightage but no independent transportation as an early teenager. Loved the chapter on it in "Steam in Indian Summer," and could have wished Caloroso's book was twice orthree times as long. I bought a Sunset Hippo in O scale primarily for the associations--no idea what to do with it on a shortline otherwise. Will probably never own an Sscale version.
Jace Kahn General Manager Ceres & Canisteo RR Co./Champlain County Traction Co. > To: [email protected] > From: [email protected] > Date: Sat, 18 Feb 2012 05:45:56 +0000 > Subject: {S-Scale List} Elmira branch & SSL&S > > 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 > > > > > > > ------------------------------------ > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > >
