TOWN LIFE PT6

A loaded tractor-trailer heads out of town with a covered piece of machinery.

Trash day! A city truck makes its rounds. It's a dirty job, but somebody's gotta' do it!

Short lengths of rail sit in the yard, ready for use. Their primary use is to get the track back in action after a wreck or derailment; like most Class 1 railroads, the AP&W uses continous welded rail on it's main lines. Lately, when the rail gets replaced on the main, the old rail is starting be re-used on secondary and branch lines. The continous rail-often as long as a mile- saves on the use of rail joint bars (which join the sections of rail together) and provide a smoother ride.

The gang gather at the end of the day to swap info about track work, train movements, equipment conditions, sports scores, politics, etc.

The boys at the warehouse work on another car. Someday Tony hopes to get his own garage; but until then, he'll just have to make do!

STEAM EXCURSION PT4

AP 1645 begins her journey west bound with the excursion train. In three hours, she will be arriving in Pittsburgh, Pa.



A view of the dome cars on the head end of the train as it passes through Hillsdale Yard. Speaking of domes, notice all the tank cars in the yard as well. The white cars are for kaolin clay slurry, headed for R&O Packing Inc. -kaolin clay is used to make the shiny coating often used on smaller boxes/packages. The black tank car is for ethanol, a product moving in ever increasing numbers through the area.

A look at the train as it snakes through the yard. Thirteen stainless-steel cars make for one long - and impressive -train! Since excursion trains don't run often - and steam-powered ones even less frequently - this train is well-patronized. Between railfans, tour groups, on-line shippers' VIPs, and even retirees old enough to remember (and wanting to re-live) the pre-Amtrak days of rail travel, the train is carrying almost 500 passengers!

STEAM EXCUSION PART 3

1645 has been added to the train, the connctions made and tested, and we are now ready to go.


A view of the head end of the train, showing the dome cars. The nearest car is the diner.

Before the excursion leaves, a freight train passes through the yard.

Pulled by two AC4400's, the freight is a solid train of loaded auto-carriers headed east to distributers.

After the freight passes, the excursion departs. Bringing up the rear is a domed observation car.

STEAM EXCURSION PART 2

Several dump trucks are lined up, ready to deliver coal to the 1645. The coal will be loaded into the 1645's tender by conveyor.



The excursion train arrives, led bySD40 3174. The train consists of ex- APRR stainless steel passenger cars. Since they still use steam heat instead of Head End Power, the 3174 has been rebuilt with a high short-hood to accomodate a steam generator. It usually operates with the excursion train when the steamers aren't being used.

A water truck is poised to fill the 1645's tender water tank. Soon, she'll be ready to go!

STEAM EXCURSION PART 1

Recently, Appalachian 1645, a 2-8-4 Berkshire-type steam engine, rolled into Hillsdale for use on a local excursion run.

Earl talks with a pair of mechanics as Jim walks up to join him. Earl and Jim will be in charge of the old steamer during the excursion run. Earl has experience operating steam locomotives, as he was once part of the APRR's 'Steam Team' from 1960, when he began with the company, until 1985, when regular steam excursions were ended just prior to the AP&W merger.

The rear of the locomotive's tender, showing the rear light and ladder up to the tender deck for access to the water hatches.

Another view of the steamer shows off its massive size, especially in comparison to the men standing beside it.

The engine waits in the yard for the passenger cars to arrive. She's loaded up with coal and water, fully serviced and ready to go!

The 1645 was built during World War II, in 1942, by the APRR's Cumberland (WV) erecting shops as part of locomotive class K-4, road#'s 1600-1649. Similar in appearance to Berkshires built for the Nickel Plate Road, the K-4's were among the last steam engines built for the AP. Due to wartime restrictions, they were built for freight trains, but handled numerous passenger trains during the war as well. After the war, the railroad invested heavily in diesels like everyone else; the K-4's lasted until the late 1950's primarily because diesels couldn't be purchased fast enough. 1645 was lucky enough to be chosen for the AP's 'Steam Team' in 1957, and has survived to this day, one of only two surviving members of her class; 1634 sits in a park.

ANOTHER DAY #2

A UPS van sits on Main St. while the driver makes her pick-ups and deliveries to the local businesses.

A dump truck waits at the busy intersection of Market and Main streets. Meanwhile, Mr Phillips is taking his usual daily jog. Looks like that old Toyota J4 has seen a few dirt (mud?) trails!

Behind the R&O Packing truck is a City of Hillsdale tractor. Normally used for mowing the grass in the park and on school grounds, today it seems to be headed for other uses as the mowing unit is not attached.

Sam and Bill give directions to a lost motorist. Wrong turn off the Interstate?

A rare glimpse of the Trackmobile owned by the new bottling plant and used to spot cars around the facility. Normally, the Hillsdale local simply drops off loads and picks up empties on the two outside receiving tracks and this little guy does the rest. Today, it seems a car was slow to get unloaded and missed the local, so the Trackmobile brought it over to the yard and dropped it off. While it was only one car and a short trip down the line (12 miles), given the short range -and slow speed- of the Trackmobile, it had better not become a habit!

ANOTHER DAY

Found in the yard recently, was this weathered and 'tagged' RailBox boxcar, still in it's (faded) as-delivered paint scheme.


A new customer in the area is a soda bottling plant in Dale City. Making 'budget-priced' sodas, the new plant requires A LOT of corn syrup. Several tank cars a week are shuffled in and out of the facility, adding an extra bit of revenue for the railroad.

A tractor-trailer turns out of downtown, after picking up a loaded container from a customer in the Industrial District.

Sam and Bill check out a 'hot-rodded' car. The owner converted it from an old Checker taxi cab by removing the bumpers, signs and hood ornament; shaving the door handles; Frenching the headlights; and adding fog lights and rear pipes through the rear body. Now if only he would get a license plate...

UPDATES

Recent updates to the layout.

The maintenance shop now has propane heat for those cold Eastern winters. Next to the propane tank are oxygen tanks for welding. Above both is a sign warning "NO SMOKING"!

A view of the Hillsdale Public Library on Market St. Across the alley is a drugstore, and beside that is a pawnshop.

Three views of the newly completed downtown parking garage. I added a baseplate to the Vollmer structure kit to make it easier to move and place, as well as allowing me to make a smoother transition to the street. Simply setting the building in place made the entrance and exit points curb height! The baseplate also enabled me to add barriers to the sides of the entrance/exit routes to keep traffic in it's proper place. Lastly, the baseplate allowed me to make room for a sidewalk around the outside, and a partial parking lot between the garage and the Market. I also added an exit gate and stop sign for exiting traffic.

Since the exposed foamboard can't be seen from a normal viewing angle, I may just leave it as-is. Or I may get 'motivated' and finish the parking lot!

STACK TRAIN #2

Here's another stack train, this one a short 'non-domestic' led by a BNSF unit.

The lead unit, BNSF SD40-2 6752 pulls into Hillsdale yard.

The head end of the train is loaded with Maersk and Maersk/Sealand containers.

Given the fact that they are double-stacked, those 20' containers are probably empties. Otherwise, their combined loaded weights would exceed the capacity of the wells.

Also in the train, are these 'K' Line containers. Notice the weathering on the top container -these things get dirty travelling around the globe!

More 'international' containers, including these Chinese-owned Cosco containers. Headed back home to get more cheap goods for the dollar stores to sell!

TOWN LIFE PT5

An old Plymouth GTX sits outside the parking lot for the warehouse. The owner added new rims; is a new paint job next?

A group of bikers is seen hanging out in the alley behind The Pub. Who owns the 'flamed' F100?

This is the parking lot between the Kibri Apartments and the Domino's Pizza. How about that old Cadillac station wagon!

The boys gather in the parking lot at the end of the day. It's Friday, and the men are ready to spend the weekend camping and fishing, as evidenced by the two camping trailers at the ready. The railroad may work seven days a week, but they don't!

Speaking of the weekend, it looks like someone else plans to spend it at the lake as well- notice the windsurfing gear on the roof!

DOWNTOWN UPDATES

Here is Commerce Street, after all the buildings were finally completed and placed on the layout.

And here is Commerce Street after the street was finished and styrene sheet was used for the building bases/sidewalks. A noticable improvement. Now we need road markings, parking meters, and a meter maid!

Here is a shot I took of the Super Market from in between the hardware store and the Pawn Shop. Notice the bare foam board between the buildings.

I have since covered up the board with ground foam 'dirt'. Maybe next time I'll get a better photo!

Lastly, here is a shot of the parking garage from the alleyway between the Public Library and another building. The alley runs around the back of the buildings to the left and comes back out between The Pub and the furniture store. That car really shouldn't be parked there, but since there's no sign saying otherwise, it won't get towed!