After three months of 65-70 hr weeks on the job, I've FINALLY gotten enough time for trains!
While Amtrak does roll through Hillsdale, no passenger trains have stopped in town since 1967. Though most of today's Amtrak trains are short, with only 3-5 Amfleet cars, during the late 80's, one could find longer trains through town from time to time as other trains were re-routed through the area due to track conditions elsewhere. The following sequence shows the Capitol Limited passing through town in 1988 due to a wreck on it's normal route.
On the head end are the two locomotives. Normal Amtrak practice is to use two engines per every seven cars. This train had twelve cars, hence the two locos. They, and most of the cars that follow, were painted in the then-current three-stripe scheme.
At one time, the EMD F40PH was Amtrak's primary locomotive, from the mid-70's until the late-90's. Today, most have been retired by Amtrak and sold off; a few live on on the West Coast with their engines removed and doors cut into their sides to convert them into baggage-car/cab-control units!
The front end of the train is loaded with MHC's (Material Handling Cars) carrying packages and express shipments -including some business for the U.S. Postal Service! While once a common sight on Amtrak's trains, a corporate decision in 2001 to discontinue non-passenger service sent these cars into storage, where most remain today.
The rest of the train is comprised of double-deck Superliners. The car in the middle, with the windows rising up over the roof, is a Sightseer Lounge. This car design was inspired by the old 'domed' passenger cars of the 1950's with their panoramic views of the scenery. The car in front of it is the dining car. The kitchen is on the lower level, hence the lack of windows; the dining area is on the upper deck.
Bringing up the rear is the train's final coach. The red lights on the rear let you know that the train has ended!
The problem; a height mismatch between the main M.O.W. parking lot and the access road alongside Hillsdale Yard. While my HO scale vehicles don't literally drive up and down the road, a smoother transition was definitely needed for a more realistic appearance.
First I trimmed and shaped a left-over piece of cork roadbed for use as a ramp up from the access road to the main lot, and hot-glued it to the foam road surface. With the addition of the ramp, the sewer drain and 'mini shrub' in this area were removed.
Next, I covered it with the Scenic Express 'Fine soil & dirt' that I used on the rest of the road. This is the end result. Now my work crews have a much easier trip into and out the lot. Next up, dirt on the rest of the lot!
