"Friendly Fridays... Franklin & South Manchester!"

What better way to kick off Volume II of the Old Main Line than with a visit to everyone's bucket-list layout?   George Sellios' Franklin & South Manchester in Peabody, MA, was on tap as part of a belated Father's Day weekend trip to Boston to see our little millennial. And as part of da-dee's festivities, wife and daughter happily joined in the half hour drive to a non-descript storefront on Main Street.

Anticipation mounted as we climbed the dark stairway to the second floor and then entered through a narrow hallway behind the layout's massive backdrop. But in turning the corner, the expanse of 23' x 42' cityscape revealed itself. The more than 600 detailed structures and extensive scenery was both breathtaking, but overwhelming too. Was I really here, finally? Where should I look first?



There's no mistaking the Sellios aesthetic of a dense and dilipated, depression era urban setting of exquisitely crafted structures.

The ladies were absolutely blown away by the scope and detail. They especially liked the 3-D scissor sign, but I noted George's nod to his childhood favorite, American Flyer Trains.

A deeply religious man, I'm betting that the paint company sign is one of George's little inside jokes. I also suspect that his use of ivy is not out of necessity like it is for many of us.



George says that he wore out the pages of MODEL RAILROADER and was most influenced as a young modeler by masters Frank Ellison and John Allen. He learned his lessons well.



Nothing hidden here... This is the way visible, sceniced staging is handled on the F&SM!



The entire layout is kept clean by its skirting which is pulled up and attached to hooks in the valence when not on display. George says that open houses create the most dust.



The detailed scenes never end. This is one of my favorite ones depicting the depression era. Three Stooges fans should note the tailor shop sign... more subtle than other structures like the not-pictured I.M. Boren Company or R.U. Bawnegan building.



George said that the F&SM has no access hatches even though it is very deep throughout. He relies extensively on the Topside Creeper to reach in, but also swears that he sometimes hangs from the supports above the dropped ceiling and works upside down. I still feel like he was pulling my leg on that one, but a religious man wouldn't do that to me, would he?



Here's a tenement row that would make Earl Smallshaw proud, complete with the requisite balconies and hanging laundry pushed up tight to the tracks.



Allegedly a Batman figurine is planted somewhere in the detailed layout which we could not find in person, nor in the 100+ photos that the three of us took. I assume that such a device is a good trick to help visitors focus on the micro rather than the macro.



Want to do eroded roadways and faded signage? Look and learn, people. Look and learn!



Whoa, wait a minute. What's that middle building doing here? Isn't that the old Atlas/AHM/Tyco Burns Engineering Company? Looks like George fancied it up with a scratchbuilt roof and customary debris. I reckon we can let him slide on this one.



Here's the man himself explaining how he does what he does. The former Minnesota Twins farmhand started Fine Scale Miniatures in 1966 and then the layout about 20 years later.

My pick up line, "Hey babe, wanna be in my blog?" went nowhere with this hot chick. "Better watch it," she deadpanned. "I'm married to a crazy man."  Ouch! That's harsh.

Gina, Kendall and I spent a couple of hours marveling at the workmanship and chatting with the shy craftsman. A proud customer of his brought in a completed diorama of the final FSM kit, I.M. Dunn coal yard. George studied it carefully, looking at it from different angles. The new retiree then proclaimed, "It's perfect... better than mine." High praise indeed!... and very classy.

 

The Franklin & South Manchester is open one Saturday morning most months. Photos are obviously allowed, as are smart-ass wives, but small children are not. Admission is $5.00. Afterwards, we concluded that two visits are really recommended. The first is just to get one's bearings and take in the overall scope. The second is when you can really relax and appreciate the individual scenes. We look forward to a return in the not-too-distant future... to find Batman!

But it was time to say goodbye and thank George for everything he has meant to the hobby. Now, on back to my daughter's north end neighborhood for a nice Italian meal and then one more stop that evening for another first. This was shaping up to be one heck of a day!

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  BONUS:  JUST  ONE  MORE  THING  BEFORE  WE  GO ... 

 

 

 

Another bucket list item checked. Fenway Park and the Green Mon-stah on a beautiful summer night. And we got to see the ump toss Sawx manager John Farrell for a tirade that was wicked awesome.

"Friendly Fridays... Cheshire Branch Revisited."

On one of several recent trips to Boston to help our college graduate settle into her "second floor closet with natural sunlight" in the city's historic north end, I had the opportunity to ultimately rendezvous with Jim Dufour and check on his progress. I hadn't visited in about three years and I was long overdue.

After a fortuitous meet at a nearby grade crossing, I arrived and we got right down to business... cold beers and gossip, plus a quick check of some workbench projects. But it was the work one level below that I was most anxious to see.

I have featured many images of the Cheshire Branch, some from my original visit, but many received via email, and I was excited to see the updates in-person. Aside from the expected rave reviews, one dominant impression struck me repeatedly. Jim's mainline 'rolled,' gradually climbing and descending around the layout, meeting at its run-through staging, despite his protestations that it was level.

"At least it's supposed to be," he pleaded.

Like my New Year's trip to Sykesville, I was one pick-up truck away from perfection as a CSX local rumbled by on the former B&M Worcester-Ayer line one block from Jim's residence. Alas, I did miss the motive power hauling a real assortment of graffiti-covered cars but there were some genuine blasts-from-the-past like this yellow one...

 

... and this blue one! (BTW, great prototype photo for aging roads.)

 

Jim's handiwork is exceptional and it comes from a modest table set up in his kitchen with nice sunlight. Here, my beer dwarfs the gas tanks for a fuel facility that he will be installing. Note the naked little people on the napkin that Jim is in the process of dressing.

The undulations of the terrain and the crossing lines of the track, road and river not only convey the impression that the railroad is not flat, it creates an illusion that the track is most definitely undulating itself.

I know that land forms built above and below track grade disguise the fact of a level railroad, but Jim's somehow goes beyond that, forcing the viewer to accept that the track is either gradually ascending or descending.

I got you now! I actually used my iPhone's level app to prove that this stretch north of  Troy was climbing. It wasn't.

We ran a couple of trains and I enjoyed the perceived rolling undulations. And then it was off to a local pub for New England clam chowder and a lobster roll. What else? But even over a nice meal, Jim couldn't explain how he had created such an illusion. I wish he could because I would like to steal it!

 

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  BONUS:  JUST  ONE  MORE  THING  BEFORE  WE  GO... 

A photo may be deceptive, but it's just as deceiving in person. C'mon now, tell me that the track isn't gradually climbing as it weaves through the cuts and curls around the end of the peninsula in the foreground.

"Just what the doctor ordered... 500mg of Fukitol!"

If you read Marty McGuirk's Central Vermont Railway blog, then you already know about Randy Laframboise's Rutland Road presentation at the recent NERPM... and his reliance on 500mg of Fukitol in designing and building his very large multi-deck layout with Mike Sparks. (So, that's how they do it!)

But that was just one of the many humorous, yet insightful,  moments presented at this annual event. In that vein, Mike Rose detailed how he can delicately fine-tune benchwork with a reciprocating saw and Kip Grant showed his radio roots by imitating the sound of an RS-3 in start-up mode. And of course, there were no shortage of wife anecdotes from various presenters that gave support and comfort to a room full of basement-dwelling model railroaders.

Several hundred attendees had 3-4 clinics to choose from in each of the seven slots from early morning through late evening this past Friday and Saturday. Here Neil Schofield discusses his latest layout and some quick scenery techniques to a rapt audience.



Marty McGuirk presented a nice piece on his latest layout efforts focusing especially on fall scenery and backdrops. He recounted that several areas have been redone on multiple occasions. (Music to my ears!) Plus, I got to finally meet Marty face-to-face after several years of only  on-line communication.



Who knew there was such a story about those two nuns loitering in downtown Sonnyvale on Kip Grant's D&H branchline? In addition, he recounted a story of a modeler who had seen his GMR 2011 article and called to ask for a visit. "Hi Kip, you don't know me, but my name is Dick Elwell..." Good stuff!



Moving the meet from the senior citizen's center in Collinsville, CT to the Holiday Inn in Enfield, CT provided many advantages, not the least of which was a larger room for vendors and model displays. This photo captures about one half of the space which was filled with plenty to gawk at between clinics. Truth be told though, the lighting could have been better in this room. Or is that my age rearing it's ugly head?



A tremendous amount of motive power and rolling stock was on display illustrating various talents in building, modifying and weathering including Butch Eyler's graffiti-filled goodies. Fellow bloggers Ryan Mendall and Pierre Oliver, plus Jered Slusser, had similarly very nice displays which my terrible photos unfortunately do no justice.



This HO scale scratchbuilt structure was the unofficial fan favorite of the meet and builder Ron Poidomani's presentation explained his process from design to finishing details, including interior  LED lighting  and weathering techniques. It is breathtaking.



I regrettably missed this clinic in order to heckle Kip Grant in his, but heard that it was very well-done. Likewise, I had to attend Jersey buddy Ted Pamperin's C&O New River Division in lieu of Chris Adams' presentation on his New Haven branch line. Decisions, decisions!



And of course food was a highlight, although I did not expect braised short ribs, truffled mac and cheese and fresh asparagus washed down with some local IPAs. This certainly beat a burger and beer, four-fold, which was about the cost ratio.

A word of thanks and congratulations to Dave Owens and his crew at the NERPM. A great time and wonderful event! What I've presented is just a fraction of the weekend's events. So many other clinics and model displays could have been covered here, but I'm certain that they will be in other blogs, websites, etc. Click on the above for photo galleries.

 

And a sincere thanks to my roomie, Jim Dufour, who shared great banter and some real neat discussion about theory and philosophy in constructing his prototype. His presentation on detailing the B&M's Cheshire Branch was a highlight. The NERPM is just few miles down the road from the annual Springfield show. If you can get to this region for that, you should do the same for this event. You'll be happy that you did. Cheers!

 

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   BONUS:  JUST  ONE  MORE  THING  BEFORE  WE  GO...  

 

Although I'm not quite ready to pull a George Costanza and declare, "I'm back, baby," the NERPM was a needed shot in the arm for me and hopefully will get me going again. Just what the doctor ordered!

"Friendly Fridays... Hello again, old friend!"

I guess I have a love-hate relationship with Model Railroader magazine. On the one hand, we go way back to my formative years in the hobby when I was gleaning everything I possibly could and was attracted to every era, every geographic locale and every road name. But things evolve and readers like me begin to define our likes and dislikes and move from novice to something beyond.

I have subscribed on and off for years and just signed up after going MR-free in 2015. I do not envy editors and publishers of print media in this day and age of online overload where every yahoo (pun intended) can allegedly disseminate expert information, helpful advice or entertaining anecdotes to anyone who will listen via blogs, websites, YouTube, Facebook, etc. (Yes, I do see the irony here!)

But Model Railroader marches on, trying to appeal to newcomers while holding on to established hobbyists. It can't be easy. And losing a beloved icon like Andy Sperandeo recently doesn't help. But a new columnist has been named to carry on the monthly operations feature and he's a real good, knowledgeable guy!

It was good to hold the magazine in my hands again, but immediately based on the cover and bonus insert, I wondered if my interests had passed it by... or was MR trying to tell me something? But there was neat news inside. A buddy was becoming a regular columnist.



New operations columnist Jerry Dziedzic (center) joined our road trip a few years back. Here Jim Dalberg appears to be selling something at Kip Grant's D&H Sonnyvale Branch that Jerry just isn't buying. But Jerry's true entertainment value on that trip was seeing him wind up Tony Koester over each night's dining arrangements... just for the fun of it.



Jerry's own basement empire is the multi-deck HO scale New York, Susquehanna & Western that fully occupies the approximate 25' x 40' space. His three staging areas are in a separate room that is about the size of my entire layout! It is fully operational and awaiting scenery. The design and fabrication of his unique pivot-lift-gates using drawer glides mounted vertically was featured in the May 2014 issue of Model Railroader.

I haven't known Jerry too long and haven't spent that much time with him. But the time we have had together has always been very enjoyable, whether it's that road trip, or operating on the Susquehanna or just having craft beers and Jersey cheese steaks at the historic inn down the road from his home.

 

He is currently helping me with some roadbed decisions I need to make which I expect to cover in a future post. But for now, I wish my newer friend the best in his exciting endeavor. Jerry's column will debut in the April 2016 issue of that older friend. Check it out.

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   BONUS:  JUST  ONE  MORE  THING  BEFORE  WE  GO...  

 

Jerry is a retired chemical engineer who winters in Colorado with his wife Laura. They serve as guides with the Breckenridge Ski School and are very active in the Breckenridge Heritage Alliance. He thoughtfully sent along a photo of "the view from my office"...  Nice!

 



"Friendly Fridays... Merry Christmas!"

There's little debate that trains and Christmas have gone hand-in-hand for many years. Many of our earliest childhood memories of this holiday involves trains and train sets. An article was sent along by Garden State Division board member Tom Wortmann recently. It discusses the relationship between trains and the holiday. Click here to read. In the meantime...



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   BONUS:  RHETORICAL  QUESTION  OF  THE  DAY...  

 

 



"Friendly Fridays... Some nods to blog buddies."

While I'm appreciative of so much that I have learned from various bloggers and their "do this, but definitely don't do that," type of postings, today I do need to highlight a few authors specifically, but for rather tangential reasons.

If Marty McGuirk can occasionally post his 'Wordless Wednesdays' on something other than hump day, then I reckon that it's more than acceptable for me to issue a 'Friendly Fridays' missive a few hours after the mark... Right?

Pierre Oliver and Trevor Marshall each recently posted delightful entries about hosting a visit from model railroad enthusiast and actor Michael Gross, detailing a full day of hobby-related operating, shopping and dining. Certainly I was familiar with Michael from his television, stage and film roles as well as his work as spokesperson for the "World's Greatest Hobby." But I forgot something very important, especially for someone depicting B&O's Old Main Line.

Actor Michael Gross has served as the celebrity spokesperson for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum. Just click on the sidebar link under References & Resources to see his personal message, videos and full biography. How could I have forgotten?... My bad!

To their credit, Trevor and Pierre reported on their enjoyable day not as star-struck fans, but as participants marveling at the many worlds that our hobby crosses. Check out their blogs on the sidebar if you somehow haven't already.

And if you do watch the latest video that Michael narrates, you may recognize the topic, The War Came by Train: 1865, a very familiar topic per Bernie Kempinski's extensive work. Enjoy.

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   BONUS:  RHETORICAL  QUESTION  OF  THE  DAY...  

 

How did those Thanksgiving travels work out for you last weekend?

 

We New York area travelers know that it's not about 'Planes, Trains and Automobiles,' but  rather, 'Holes, Tolls and River Crossings,' that leave one feeling trapped with no way home.



"Friendly Fridays... the Garden State RPM."

The third annual Garden State RPM was held this past weekend right here in bucolic Scotch Plains. A few of us north Jerseyans help Ted DiIorio each year with organizing and staging the event. Ted is an instructor at the county vocational school where the meet is held. In return for getting the venue for the day, Ted donates some proceeds back to a couple of student organizations, so everybody wins. It's a neat two-day meet with about a dozen clinics, model displays and vendor tables on Saturday and about a dozen layout tours Sunday.


Serious motive power was the order of the day! James Auriemma had two tables of beautifully weathered diesels and rolling stock for attendees to drool over. The number of models on display increased dramatically this year which is a welcome trend for the event.



NYSME member Fred Wadleigh displayed several dozen prototypical trackside structures that he scratch-built in HO scale. This freight house was in fact built three times depicting three different time periods during the 20th century. Here, the all-wood model shows the most recent version and the ravages of time per the photograph.



Any clinician's worst nightmare is a technological snafu prior to presenting. Dave Ramos (seated) came to first-timer Dave Olesen's rescue by switching out laptops and some wires to get the venue's projection system to cooperate. It was deja vu for me as I had the same problem in the same classroom last year. Dave rode in on his white horse then, too.



South Jersey's Ralph DeBlasi gave a very informative Power Point presentation on weathering rolling stock and then devoted several more hours to small-groups in a hands-on clinic stressing three key points: 1- Always work from photographs; 2 - Weather in layers; 3 - Fading is not about what you put on, but what you take off.  See The Weathering Shop link on my sidebar under References & Resources for amazing work and techniques.



Travers Stavac (right) of the Layout Design SIG was available to critique track plans throughout the day. Here he and attendee John McCluskey  discuss some ideas. Travers and group founder Doug Gurin have traveled from the Baltimore/DC area each year to help out.



RPMs are great places to find research materials. Jay Held and son Nick do a tremendous job promoting the Erie Lackawanna Historical Society  schlepping an endless supply of magazines, maps, manuals, timetables, etc. to these types of meets throughout the year.



Daylene Wolf and her main squeeze Alfred, let hubby Norm tag along from Fredericksburg, VA where Norm coordinates the very popular Mid-Atlantic RPM each September. They cheerfully peddled Scotty Mason's products in his absence, while Alfred chilled out all day.

 

By all accounts, the 100+ attendees had a great time and the student organizations made a killing selling coffee and doughnuts throughout the day, not to mention pizza and drinks at lunch. Imagine? I do regret not getting a photo of the exceedingly long line of modelers anxiously awaiting their slices as the pizza boxes depleted at a furious pace. I would've enjoyed putting a caption to it.

If you've followed this blog, you'll understand why I chose not to open my bench work or do my Old Main Line Power Point detailing the conversion from single deck to multi-deck. As Roseanne Roseannadana used to say, "Never mind!"

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   BONUS:  RHETORICAL  QUESTION  OF  THE  DAY...  

 

He may not have gotten the Iwata airbrush or PanPastels kit, but who has two thumbs and parlayed $40 in raffle tickets into this $35 B&O Wagontop, generously donated to the meet by ExactRail?

 

 

...This guy!



 



"Friendly Fridays... The D&H Sonnyvale Branch."

Kip Grant has both the voice and the cool sounding name to be an on-air radio personality. Good thing too, because he was for many years. But you may know him from his 'other' job... designing, building and operating the prototypically-inspired Sonnyvale Branch of the Delaware & Hudson. His 13' x 19' layout, named after his dad, is a re-creation of his childhood memories rail-fanning the D&H's upstate New York branch between Fort Edward and Lake George, circa 1962.

I was mesmerized the first time I saw it in the 2011 issue of Great Model Railroads. His room size and configuration was similar to that with which I'd be working and I was amazed at what Kip could accomplish in that space. I also took note of the museum-like presentation he afforded his dynamic work of art. Every inch of the finely finished environment was flawless in showcasing the layout. 

Few modelers are fortunate to be featured in one national magazine, let alone two. But to grace the cover on each occasion is absolutely top drawer. No doubt Kip counts these as two of his proudest moments in the hobby, aside from his inclusion on this blog, of course.



The town of Sonnyvale is based on Glens Falls, NY. It is well framed at the end of the walk-in layout within coved walls and a thoughtful treatment with both valence and fascia. The valence utilizes pipe insulation as a protective edging which also gives it a nicely finished touch. The fascia matches the valence, painted a midnight blue... unusual, but it works!



Black skirting completes the layout's presentation while perfectly aligned 35mm film canisters are used to recess toggle switches that control all turnouts for convenience and safety. Junction Yard is seen here on the right, while the end of the peninsula is on the left.



Kip groups complimentary structures together to depict sizable industries requiring varied loads, enhancing operations. Here the Holly Hill Creamery serves as a backdrop to a local heading out of Junction Yard. But note the real backdrop and the very low horizon line and muted hills beyond the scenic terrain... not to mention the telephone lines. Sweet!



If you are familiar with Railway Design Associates' Easton Mill kit you'll recognize that Kip altered the side by skillfully replacing one overhead door with two blocked windows. He added a stone foundation and applied such Tichy details as masonry anchors and rafter tails... and that looks like a chimney from Monster Modelworks, maybe?



The volunteer fireman and community fire marshal makes certain that his structures comply to the UCC with red alarm boxes and standpipe connections! Like the creamery, Kip has grouped a couple of compatible structures to serve as one large industry unifying them through a common color scheme and such identical details as railings and signage.



An old D&H paint scheme approaches, passing the Lefebvre Lumber Supply which is an old Art Curren project combining a couple of Atlas Hillside Lumber kits with an AHM American Farmhouse. Kip adds oodles of details to the compilation, and with subtle weathering and custom signage, it's an A-1 model. Specific improvements include the addition of rafter tails and the distressing of the shingle roof edge of the front building.



The three principal areas where most switching operations occur are nicely separated with scenic treatment depicting the countryside of upstate New York, like this farm which is a representation of Kip's in-law's. Every scene is detailed and tells a story through its many citizens and vintage vehicles. Tricky early fall foliage has been skillfully depicted without looking too severe as can happen. The  unique cross buck design is indeed prototypical.





Another enhanced standard styrene kit is the Sunrise Feed Mill from Walthers with custom signage and various applied details. Here, Kip changed the foundation of the central part of the building to suggest the flanking sections were added at a later date. Likewise, the roof of the lowest section has been changed from the kit's rolled tarpaper to a ribbed metal, again suggesting that the business has grown over time. Note the rail-fanning dad and son in the lower right hand corner awaiting some real railroad action.



Here's where all of the magic happens! Kip's work area is located just outside of the layout room adjacent to the crew lounge and is ideally equipped with a fully functioning sink, spray booth and a work surface, somewhere or another. Looks like there's even one of those optivisors hanging above, no doubt just to be ready if ever needed in the future.

The presentation of the Sonnyvale Branch may be museum-like, but the layout serves as a living, breathing, operating testament to the prototype. A regular crew of buddies, including several who are retired from the D&H, have made certain that the railroad works. The branch utilizes a yard just off of a hint of the mainline to avoid the need for (gasp!) staging. Kip explains:

"Each session starts as a new day. The Junction Yard crew blocks outbound cars which were brought to the yard in the previous session and places them on tracks designated by the yard clerk. Following the session, I play the role of the main line freights and remove the outbounds. Then after selecting appropriate inbound cars in accordance with my software, I place said cars in the yard as if they were set off by other imaginary mainline freights. And the cycle continues."

And the fun continues for Kip and his crew, and for anyone who visits the Sonnyvale Branch. I was thrilled to spend some time there and absolutely look forward to a return someday. I'm just not sure when the best time would be...

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  BONUS:  RHETORICAL  QUESTION  OF  THE  DAY... 

 

Hey Jim, when's the ideal time of year to visit the Lake George region in upstate New York to see Kip's layout ?

A) Spring, when pollen is measured in inches, just like snow.
B) Summer, when SUVs from NYC teach locals some new road rules.
C) Fall, when busloads of 'leafers' patiently search for the perfect tree.
D) Winter, when snow is measured in feet, not in inches like pollen.