More PRR

I think that certain questions or topics not directly related to the Frisco occasionally get brought up here, because the member feels comfortable asking it here. Last year, I spotted an unusual switcher here in Union. After posting a few photos of it, a couple of our members were able to identify it as a rare SW1504.

I have mixed feelings about posting non-Frisco related material on this site. On one hand, I think the purity should be preserved. On the other, I think that we should be able to come here and ask the occasional non-Frisco question and receive a courteous answer. This is the only railroad modeling and historical forum that I'm a member of (I do have a Yahoo Group Rock Island St. Louis Subdivision membership, but there is never any discussion of modeling there). I would hope that if I ever had a question about the mechanics of my Athearn Rock Island RS-3, I could ask it here.

By the way, I'm sure that the models that Ken spoke of here are works of art, just like all the others in his collection. Ken can take a $40.00 model and make it look as good, if not better, than one worth four times that much.

Pat Moreland,
Union Mo.

 

I agree with all of you!

I am on no other forum either. In the early 80s of the 20th Century I almost joined the Katy bunch. I still have some great friends who are still members but another one dropped out because it just never has really developed into what this Frisco site has become. I did join the Santa Fe bunch for one year, but since my interest is mostly in the KC-Texas geographical locations I dropped out. I was employed in train service with ATSF in Dallas from 1968-76 after breaking into railroading on the Cotton Belt after my hitch with the US Army Transportation Corps but gee golly boys, my biggest thrill on ATSF was when the Frisco delivered a train of coal for the KCS in the old East Dallas Yard behind a trio of SD45s!

I can understand adding ATSF or any Frisco connecting road to ones layout, with or without a son´s desire. It is simply impossible to wear blinders like a race horse and not mention other railroads from time to time on this forum. If the questions or comments are within reason, why not? The short time I have been on this forum I have got to know by name a lot of you and all of you are simply a bunch of good old boys...this includes any girls too...I met one here in Germany while I was a passenger service rep for Deutsche Bahn who modeled in Z scale!

I go through all the scales from Z to G...even live steam... on this forum, because my first love is railroading. My pet road has always been the Frisco. I was raised north of Dallas near Carrollton where it crossed the Katy and Cotton Belt. I also lived for a short time across the Trinity River in the Oak Cliff section of Big D right on the ATSF`s Dallas-Cleburne line. I paced FTs upgrade from the Trinity River Bottoms to the top of the grade at Hale on my bike. But no sooner than we had moved back to Farmers Branch I was watching my Frisco again! Sure, heck, you bet, the Katy´s rebuilt Baldwin (EMD) switchers, especially the #29 on the Denton Local during the summer of 61 was neat, followed by an old wooden Sloan Yellow caboose, #823. But the sight of the ABBA sets of F units or FAs clunking across the Katy and Cotton Belt diamonds in Carrollton with a long freight was sheer music!

The Pennsy was a St. Louis road like the Frisco and how many others plus the terminal companies served Saint Louie, Louie? At one time in my teenage years I dreamed of building the Central Midland HO layout. It was the last layout featured in the book "Six Atlas HO layouts you can Build". The text introduced the layout as a scaled down version of the entrance to St. Louis Union Station. Of course my stepdad and mother rented in those days and a lack of funds prevented that layout from ever getting beyond the point of my daydreaming but I did "window shop" for the trains I would have purchased to run on the layout. I even considered the Lionel HO Texas Special! LOL

Rivet counters take note. If I were to consider constructing a layout in HO again I would stock it with the good brass locomotives that were imported in the 60s and 70s. This includes Hallmark of course. I knew Bobbye Hall real well. I would visit her before going on duty at the Santa Fe´s East Dallas Yard and grab a cup of that great black coffee that was always simmering next to the Coke (Reg.U.S.Pat.Off.) machine and talk shop with her about her latest brass projects. The freight and passenger cars would be wood, metal or brass as well. There are so many that show up on consignments that are nice priced and in some cases less than the imported plastic models from China today!

My Frisco would consist of custom painted locomotives and cabooses. No sound, no DCC, just a desire to run trains like I did when I switched from Lionel to HO in 1961. Call it my re-entry into my second childhood if you prefer but believe me, I would be just as satisfied as the contest winning custom builder with the most modern electronically controlled model railroad on the block!

All´board!

Joe Toth