Nostalgia

There are quite a few things to write about and as I was thinking them over I came across photos I've taken of the various stages in the evolution of the Allegheny Eastern. I hadn't really thought about how much has changed since the idea started to become a reality. It began as an idea for a Microsoft Train Simulator route in 2002. The era was originally 1859, I built some rolling stock and a Winans "camel" (shown behind the Hayes "ten wheeler" below). The idea changed when I started building more modern digital models...

Allegheny Eastern 1859

Southern DL109

Milwaukee Road EP3 "Quill"

CNJ "Janus" Baldwin Babyface

There were a bunch of other models, including a complete set of New Haven DL109's and Baldwin "centipedes" in PRR, SAL and NdeM paint schemes. In between all these 3D projects I actually started the route I was planning. The focus was Johnstown PA...

Train Simulator, Johnstown PA

Lots of railroading in Johnstown. The Pennsy, B&O, Cambria & Blacklick (Bethlehem Steel) and Johnstown Transportation trolleys. Unfortunately building routes in the old Train Simulator is not for the faint of heart. Track was laid, but it never went farther than that. Digital modeling actually uses up more time than you think. You find yourself sitting up all night trying to work out glitches in the model (it's a lot like computer programming, but with pictures).

In 2008, I had bypass surgery. During my recovery I didn't want to sit in front of a computer all day, so I started scratch building in S scale...

S Scale Flatcar

Box Cab Diesel Switcher

I started wanting a layout. S scale was too large to model what I had in mind. So was HO. I used a software called 3D Railroad Concept & Design to create a Z scale layout based on the Pennsylvania...

Z Scale Allegheny Eastern

It was to be a huge (for Z scale) two level layout against one wall of the garage. It's main feature would be, what else, Horseshoe Curve. In Z scale I could model the curve full size! I could that is if Z scale equipment didn't cost a fortune. I needed an affordable alternative and went to N scale. I started with the same track plan and adapted it to the larger scale. I would have to settle for a half size Horseshoe Curve.

In autumn of that year I had started the layout and even laid track. By October 2009 it looked like this...

Allegheny Eastern October 2009

The black stuff under the track is expansion joint material for building concrete sidewalks. It comes in widths that are exactly right for making ballast strip for four parallel tracks. The benchwork was 2x4 construction with 1/2" foam subroadbed. 

Allegheny Eastern December 2009

Of course I was using the "organic" design method. I couldn't visualize what I wanted until I had actually constructed it. I kept changing things as if I was using clay or Playdoh rather than wood, glue and foam. In April of 2010 the layout was redesigned, the first of many revisions...

Allegheny Eastern April 2010

The All East was beginning to take its present form although at the time I only used half of the available space in the garage. Needed some place to park my motorcycle. It was at this stage that the "storage space" excuse really got under way.

By May of 2011 the layout crossed the centerline of the garage. I had started laying out an "ovalix" to bring the tracks down from the 6" elevation of Gallitzin...

All East, May 2011 and the "Ovalix"

 There was still enough space to park my bike if I turned it sideways, but that wouldn't last long...

Gallitzin, November 2011

I must have thought the layout couldn't go any further horizontally, so I started to go vertical. I realigned the rest of the layout to suit...

Gallitzin, January 2012

Realignment at The Curve

In the first version of what would become "styrospline" construction I kept going up, but only 3" or so. ...

Horseshoe Curve February 2012

Gallitzin / Bennigton

I had trouble with this early version of the styrofoam roadbed. I could not get the grade up the eastern approach to Horseshoe Curve as smooth as I wanted it to be. So I started over...

I torn up just about everything and went with the traditional cookie cutter method. I used a rather nontraditional 1/4" plywood over 1/2" foam lamination for the roadbed. I believe that is also the time that I "added" more storage capability by expanding Altoona and adding an aisle between Bennington and Gallitzin.

In summary, cause this is getting too long, there have been four major versions of the Allegheny Eastern since the fall of 2009...

2009

2010-2011

2012

Now (and Forever)

The only major change I would make these days would be moving the thing to a bigger space. Then I'd make the aisles wide enough for adults. Not that I don't consider myself an adult, but you start to wonder.

Thanks for walking down memory lane with me.

Regards

Frank Musick

Chief Cook and Bottle Washer

Allegheny Eastern Railroad