Joe will discuss how he built the Union Pacific’s rotary snow plow #076. The prototype was constructed in 1950 and was last used in 1977. It is unknown whether it is still in service. The model was constructed with sheet styrene and resin cast parts using photos of the right and left sides. The model has a working blade that is operating off a 9-volt battery and a slow-motion motor, and has a completed underside.
Archives: Tooltips
Automatic Operations on the Mayfair Electric
A description of the techniques and circuits I use for automatic car stop and routing on my home trolley layout as well as why I use them. (The example is O scale but is applicable to all scales)
Notable Train Wrecks
This clinic will examine a number of interesting train wrecks, from the beginning of railroading all the way through the present day. For each incident, we’ll take a look at what happened, what caused the wreck, the aftermath, and what lessons were learned the hard way. The presentation will feature historic photos and at least one video.
Steam Locomotive Valve Gear
To most modelers and devotees of steam locomotives, the workings of the valve gear are a mystery. The clinic provides an understanding of the mechanics and mathematics involved in transforming the power of the boiler’s steam into mechanical motion. The clinic also focuses on the historical origins, evolutionary advancements, and spotting features of the different types of valve gear. It includes a key discussion of engineering and design terms most modelers would have no understanding of when looking at a builder’s specifications and schematics of a locomotive.
Steam Locomotive Appliances
Okay, you just bought your first steam locomotive for your layout. There are all kinds of bumps and pipes on the boiler, but do you have any idea as to what they accomplished? This clinic is designed to inform the modeler as to their identification, purpose, historical advancements, and improvements to locomotive thermal efficiency and safety. All in the interest of avoiding embarrassing mistakes, making better/more accurate models, and encouraging scratch-building and kit bashing.
Passenger Train Head-End Traffic
Railroads exist to move raw materials, passengers, and cargo with an emphasis of speed and efficiency. The railroads had a long, close association with the US Postal Service and other private shippers of high value items. Most modelers know there was such a thing as a Railway Post Office, but have no further idea as to how they were designed and operated. And they were not the only type of railroad equipment for high-dollar items being transported. Modeler’s pride themselves on details of structures, cars and scenery, but fall short in understanding real-world railroad operations. This clinic is designed to improve that knowledge.
Midvale Steel: The Challenge of Modeling a Large Structure in a Limited Amount of Space
The presentation will describe both the history of Midvale Steel and the challenge of modeling a large structure in a limited amount of space. Steel mills by any standard are huge structures that do not readily lend themselves to selective compression. The clinic will describe scratchbuilding the open hearth furnace in a way that conveys both its size and complexity but still fits in a very limited space. In addition various features that appear unique to the Midvale open hearth furnace will be described.
Evolving Design and Construction of a 5-Track Carbarn
Discussing the design considerations and construction techniques used to create “functional” storage in a freelance, 5-track, O-scale carbarn on a modular traction layout.
Mike Junod
Michael has been an active member of the Abington Lines Model Railroad Club (Richboro, PA) for 56 years and has held many positions including President. He was responsible for the Club incorporation and purchase of its current location. He has also been a member of the East Penn Traction Club for over 45 years and is its current President. He was an operator, board member and trustee of the Buckingham Valley Trolley Association operating the Penn’s Landing Trolley. He models in both HO and O scale. He was raised in a railroad family in Northeast Philadelphia and had many happy cab rides with his Locomotive Engineer Father. Prior to working 35 years for the US Navy as an Electronics Engineer, he worked briefly in the Signal Department of Penn Central. He loves hanging overhead and hand laying track. His motto: “I do tedious really well”
Ron Hoess
Ron–Hoess is a prototype model railroader whose layout, recently featured in MRP 2023, depicts the Pennsylvania Railroad in North Philadelphia circa 1958. The layout combines both his interests in the PRR and the Philadelphia industries that the railroad served. To achieve a realistic depiction of the city all the structures on the layout are scratchbuilt.
