Just to let you all know, my son Pat, (Duffy our webmaster) is undergoing open heart surgery this morning for a valve repair. It is rather a routine procedure for the doctor, he is the best in town doing it in the most advanced OR, but if you're the subject of that procedure, it's a bit more serious that just "routine".

Anyway, all prayers will be appreciated, his wife is there and will keep me posted on what's going on and I in turn, will keep you all posted here. The surgery starts at 8:00 (MST) this morning and will take 2 to 4 hours.

I know in the past I had made a post about the Independent Live Steamers but I'm pretty sure it wasn't on here because I can't find anything related to it here. So I am recreating this thread for all those who haven't seen this group of members wonderful work they do. Some of the members of the ILS have passed on to the bigger railroad in the sky but there memory is kept alive through the website and memories at meets.

K4sa #612 - 1-1/2 inch scale live steam
   

E6s Atlantic #460 - 1-1/2 inch scale
   

A little one enjoying the hobby
   

B6sa 1-1/2 inch scale
   

G5s #5741 - 1-1/2 inch scale
   

I1sa - 1-1/2 inch scale
   

N2sa - 1-1/2 inch scale
   

Ok everyone I figured we would try a different kind of thread this time. Let's see those pictures you have of past and present Interlocking towers. They don't have to be in service. Let's see how many are actually left in the United States. 

J Tower is located at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania
   

Alto Tower is located in Altoona, Pa. This tower was closed in 2012 and all operations were handed over to the Pittsburgh Dispatcher
   

AR Tower is located at the top of the grade in Gallitzin, Pa. This tower is a little remote to get to and is illegal to even access the road going to it. Norfolk Southern is currently in the process of demolishing AR and MG Towers.
   

MO Tower was located in Cresson, Pa. MO was demolished in 1998. This was taken by my late father. I did have other views of this tower from the other sides but they have since been lost. 
   

NY Tower was located in Portage, Pa. There are barely any if no photo's of this tower around. There is one photo of the previous NY Tower. All that is left from this one is the foundation and it can be found in the high weeds along the mainline. 
   

This is my other hobby which I mentioned in the Lego Train Thread. Here are my lego fire trucks that I have built for my lego fire department. The name of the department is Portage County Lego Fire / EMS Department. This department is an entire county owned department. I do have incidents that I take pictures of from time to time especially if it is a working structure fire or a working commercial structure fire. The department also assist other lego fire departments in the Lego Metro Fire Department which is consisted of a bunch of other lego fire departments owned by other people. Below are some pictures of the apparatus that I currently have built with more coming in the next 1-2 years.

   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Yes you have read that correctly, Lego Trains. These are trains I have built from instruction by Brick Model Railroader. They are very well detailed trains and you can pretty much build any railroad you want to. They are 8 lego studs wide instead of the traditional 6 wide lego has for sale year round. This hobby is about as expensive as model railroading because if you don't have the pieces you either have to go to a website to purchase the pieces or buy lego sets to get those pieces. Each one of these below has ran me about $180 a piece just to get pieces and decals. Don't get me wrong this is something I love to do among other things with lego's like building lego fire trucks, but it can get costly at times. So enjoy these photo's. Two of them are not completed at this time as pieces are on back order. 

Western Maryland Caboose. This is correct for this one because I did a lot of research. The WM did cover up four windows sometime during it's service.
   

NOT COMPLETED AS OF 3/5/22 Reading Railroad GHRX Gondola
   

Western Maryland Covered Hopper N-17
   

NOT COMPLETED AS OF 3/5/22 Western Maryland Caboose
   

Dock Street's leased MP15AC makes a stop on Delaware Ave to grab some coffee and sticky buns at Chester's Bakery.

Bruce

   

Well this is something you don't hear about to often but, there is a game for PC, PS5, & Xbox that is called Train Sim World 2. You can actually play on real life routes that are in the game. You can also purchase other routes to play on as well. Three notable routes are Clinchfield, Sand Patch Grade and Sherman Hill. For those of you that have time and want a different experience or to kill some down time I suggest you go and download this game on one of the systems. Below are a couple screen shots from the game. I've been playing this game for about 2-3 months. The level of detail in this game is beyond what I expected and honestly I can't get enough of this game. They are also in the process of testing out the Horseshoe Curve Route which will go from Altoona, Pa to Johnstown, Pa with the South Fork branch included.

   

   

   

Below are some photo's from mine and my girlfriends trip to Meyersdale back in the Fall of 2020.

   
   
   
   
   

Yes that is a Lego Version of WM Caboose 1803. It is an exact replica of it built in Lego. I took it with us that day because it seemed fitting to pay a little tribute.
   
   
   

CSX coming upgrade on the ex B&O Mainline
   
   
   
   
   

Today was a day in the paint room.  After painting two new cars, I decided to give a second attempt at weathering.  As I am still practicing new techniques, I choose a simple boxcar which is not much detailed.  Here are the results :

   

   

   

It seems this car had run behind a steamer for many years.

I applied diluted acrylic paints with an a newly acquired double action airbrush.  I would certainly have had better results with more practice with the airbrush which is quite different from my old single action.

Comments and criticisms are welcome.

Since I had to start over again with my collection of trains I figured I would start off with this. Here is what I have of the B&O so far. I am planning to get more once time allows me too. I have many more to show you all what I have now. But for now enjoy this.