When I was about 10 or so years old, watched the older gentlemen playing bottle caps behind the tavern down the street from where I lived. They gave me a quarter to fetch a ice cold bucket tin of Falstaff draft and came back with change and gave me a nickel back from that change. I swear I didn't sip any of that beer! Those where fun times growing up! John
Brings to mind the great beer battles in St Louis in the 1940's, 1950's and early 1960's, when Falstaff usually outsold Budweiser here in StL. Ken
The 161000 series of outside braced boxcars are exactly represented by the old Train Miniatures outside braced cars with steel ends and doors. These were still in local on line service in the 1970s. The Falstaff trailer and refrigerator car are from Show Me Models in Kansas City. The truck is a Metal Models Miniature. Ken McElreath
I have over 100 of Arthur Johnson's wonderful B&W prints in a scrapbook, and I treasure the memory of corresponding with and visiting him at home in Springfield in the 1970s. His photos of the Joplin turntable and engines inspired me to build an exact replica of the turntable and to model a similar secondary yard engine facility on our current Birmingham Terminal layout. This scene of yard engine #1273 moving onto the table recalls those photos and prototypes in action. Enjoy. Ken McElreath
Nice photos, Ken! I always thought that your layout is one of the best layouts I've ever seen. Keep up the good work and please post more photos. Joe
Very nicely done, Ken. I've always liked the tender styles such as the one being sported by 1273. The scenic work around the terminal - lots of cinders burying any and all ties - looks spot-on. The turntable bridge, pit and all the trimmings look to be scatchbuilt? Best Regards,
Joe, No, I don't have a drawing; it "just growed." The basic long peninsula is about 45 x 10 feet or so, plus a 12 x 12 separate but connected section for the Quinton Alabama module. Ken McElreath
Joe, It's a "stage" with hidden staging tracks at one end and open staging in the Southern's Avondale Yard at the other end. The actors (trains) enter the stage, do their thing, take a bow and then exit offstage. It really works neat. Ken McElreath
On Saturday 3 June I will be presenting two clinics at the SE Region NMRA Convention in Birmingham. The first one addresses Industrial Modeling, particularly in Birmingham, with both Common Carriers and Industrial railroads interacting operationally. The second one treats how a secondary downtown yard (eg, Birmingham's Ninth Avenue Frisco yard) can serve as a focal point for a very interesting operational scheme on a smaller or medium sized layout. I am preparing some photos to illustrate operations and layout design for both clinics. Here is a sequence that I took this weekend showing Frisco Mikado #4002 hauling a transfer run from East Thomas Yard to the Birmingham Southern Yard at Fairfield. Enjoy. Ken McElreath
Poking around the engine house at the Ninth Avenue Yard, I shot Consolidation #1342 arriving with the daily transfer from East Thomas, then being serviced and turned for the return trip over Billy Goat Hill. Also, RS1 #103 was moving out to take the Citadel Cement Plant turn out to Quinton in the afternoon. Enjoy. Ken McElreath
The North Birmingham section of the layout has been reworked from the original scene in our old layout, and I am very happy with the results. This scene is now more in the foreground where it can be enjoyed up close. That has taught me something about layouts; anything farther back than one foot from the front edge is "background," and generally not profitable for super detailing or appreciation as primary scene elements. Here are views of the Vulcan Pipe and Foundry Company and the adjacent scrap yard and power plant. This is the last major section of the HO layout construction. Enjoy. Ken McElreath
Looks like a nice, big facility with a lot of possibilities for shipments in and out, and the good look and feel of industrial heft. It almost appears that it could serve, by itself, as a small layout. Best Regards,
Ken, the new industry looks great!!! I'm always impressed by your modeling skills and you make me appreciate what wonderful hobby we are involved in. Keep up the good work. Joe
Now that the "Workshop Wednesday" Boren Explosives boxcar is finished, I watched the Frisco Bessemer Local deliver it to its new owner. Then the local returned to Ninth Avenue yard light with its caboose. Enjoy. Ken McElreath
Ken, I thoroughly enjoy your modeling. I especially enjoy any series of photos that shows railroad modeling operations in action and in chronological order. Neat stuff. Best Regards,
Ken, is that a Hallmark caboose? The platform whistle isn't available the last time I checked the brass castings offerings. I wanted to add them to my AMB cabeese.
Doug, Yes, that is a Hallmark caboose. I bought five standard cabooses and one side door version in 1968 for $15 apiece. In college, I didn't eat out or date for many months to buy them. Some things in life are worth it. I really shouldn't post close up photos. Now someone is going to tell me that the marker lamps are on the wrong end and that I missed painting one part of an insulator on the utility pole. I'm glad there is always room for improvement. Ken McElreath
