Welcome to Editon 7 of Railroading in America Magazine!
Note from the President
Railroading in America Magazine has continued to show me that anything is possible when you put your mind to it. I’m proud to announce that after a long time of waiting and a lot of hard work between both businesses that Railroading in America Magazine is now an official partner of OGR Magazine! We’ve partnered with OGR to support the O gauge hobby and enhance your reading experience. Each of our magazines will independently contribute articles and other content via guest authors Evan Cihlar, President and CEO and contributors which will appear in both OGR and Railroading in America magazine’s print and digital editions. In addition, there will be regular cross-postings on our social media sites with content of interest related to our hobby providing you with even more value and reading enjoyment! OGR magazine was founded in 1969 by Vane Jones and later purchased by Myron Biggar. In 2002, OGR Publishing, a partnership of Rich Melvin, Jim Barrett, Ed Boyle and the late Fred Dole, purchased the magazine from the Myron Biggar group. Railroading in America Magazine is very excited about this new venture and proud to be associated with OGR magazine. We look forward to their contributions and perspectives on the O gauge hobby as well as the hobby in general! We encourage all of our readers to join OGR’s digital subscription base and their online forum while their summer sale lasts! You’ll get the best of both worlds if you subscribe to not only RIAM, but OGR as well! I would like to take a moment to thank all of OGR’s staff including Rich Melvin and Alan Arnold for their support and dedication to bringing this partnership to life. I would also like to thank our magazine staff for their dedication to RIAM and this partnership. Thank you Garrett Monnin, Max Harris, Jonah Collins, Walker Wood, Adam Zappacosta, Clayton Cook, and Carlos Llamas for your support and dedication.
Railroading in America is a newly founded magazine run by the next generation of railroaders. We pride ourselves on taking a di ferent and more lighthearted perspective than our competitors, and take extra steps to ensure we are reporting on quality and factual news.
Table of Contents
Page 1............Positive Train Control on the old Reading and Pennsylvania Page 3.................................................How the EOT Replaced the Caboose Page 4.............................................................DCB Technologies Interview Page 6............................................Streamlined Alcos: The PA and the FA Page 7....................................................Southern Railway's Spencer Shops Page 9..................................Being an Engineer on the Cumbres and Toltec Page 11............................West Chester Railroad Springtime Photo Charter Page 13....................................Spring Rambler on the Buckingham Branch Page 15.................................................................Weathering Made Simple Page 17..................................................Lionel Lionchief+ SD60M Review Page 20........................................................Train Mountain Triennial 2018 Page 22.....................................................................Special Announcement Page 25.........................................................................The Laughing Stock
West Chester Railroad Springtime Photo Charter Max Harris Photos by Max Harris and Andrew Keates
Hidden deep in southeastern Pennsylvania, history
moves. The train began at the end of the line in West Chester, and the train ran in reverse to Glen rolls on the rails at the West Chester Railroad, Mills. During this move, five of the seven photo which offers an opportunity to ride on historic shoots took place. Once the train arrived at Glen tracks behind ancient diesel locomotives. The tracks Mills, there was an opportunity to take photos, then used are from the former Southeastern Pennsylvania the train departed with 1803 in the lead. After the Transportation Authority (SEPTA) R3 line, which train left Glen Mills, we stopped for a run-by at the was abandoned in 1986. The WCRR restored it in former Locksley station, and then proceeded along the rest of the line back to West Chester. The train the early 1990s and the branch was active once more. They currently use seven and a half miles of crept along the tracks at 20 MPH as this allowed the passengers to ride comfortably and take in all the the track, and the line stops at a bridge behind the sights. Once the train arrived back in West Chester, Glen Mills station, as the track beyond is still the final run by took place in the railyard. Overall, owned by SEPTA. The line is currently isolated this charter was a great day filled with fun, photos from the US rail network; however, SEPTA is and Alco smoke! working on restoring the other part of the R3 line to bring back rail service, which would open up the WCRR line once more. The WCRR is entirely run by a dedicated team of volunteers that take time out of their days to make this railroad run. The West Chester Railroad mostly runs trains for holidays and other special occasions, but also offers occasional trips. On May 6th, the WCRR hosted a Springtime Photo Charter organized by Andrew Keates, a young volunteer at the railroad. The charter was lead by the railroad’s star locomotive, ex-Canadian Pacific Alco RS-18 #1803 (acquired in 1998). As Alco diesels famously do, the 1803 put on a great smoke show at every run by. The consist was three pieces of freight equipment: a flat car, a tank car, and a box car, up front, then a Pennsylvania B60 baggage car used as a snack car and power car, then a former Reading Blueliner, which was a coach, then a cab for the deadhead 11
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The biggest event in the live steam hobby occurs at Train Mountain, which is the Train Mountain Triennial. In 2000, the tradition of Triennials began and has been held every three years. Train Mountain’s Triennials are one the most interesting train meets you will ever experience. People all over the country come to visit, sharing their knowledge of their crafts to others, and bring all sorts of locomotives and consists. There are many from countries such as Australia, Austria, New Zealand, Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom that attend, and some bring rolling stock they run in their respective countries. Triennials occur during the last week of June to the first few days of July.
My first experience of a Train Mountain triennial came in 2006. When we got to Train Mountain, I was in shock and awe of the immense facility and the amount of people and trains operating. I was greeted at the main gate by a four track grade crossing and full size maintenance of way equipment. The first day I rode around with some members of my club to get a feel of the layout. It takes hours to go around the mainline of the Train Mountain, an attribute of the enormous loop.
This year, my dad and I returned to the Train Mountain Triennial. Without any equipment to take this trip, I decided to photograph other member’s trains and simply relax. In 2021, my dad and I will hopefully bring our Santa Fe ten wheeler and F7 once it is completed.
No matter what size you collect and operate, Train Mountain is a must for anyone in the train hobby. Bringing your own live steam and diesels allows you to experience all of the amazing opportunities Train Mountain has to offer. If you don’t own any, just go and enjoy yourself. Everyone is a friend at Train Mountain, no matter who you are.
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Railroading in America Magazine has teamed up with O Gauge Railroading Magazine! O Gauge Railroading Magazine has been providing quality model railroading content since 1969! With their wisdom, Railroading in America Magazine hopes to become as legendary as O Gauge Railroading! Each of our magazines will independently contribute articles and other content via guest authors and contributors which will appear in both OGR and RIAM magazine’s print and digital editions. In addition, there will be regular cross-postings on our social media sites with content of interest related to our hobby providing you with even more value and reading enjoyment!
www.ogaugerr.com
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Edition 7 was made possible by... Executive Board -Evan Cihlar, President and CEO -Garrett Monnin, Vice President and COO -Max Harris, Publisher and Adman -Jonah Collins, Editor-in-Chief -Tim Lewis, HR Director
Authors -Clayton Cook -Adam Zappacosta -Walker Wood -Carlos Llamas
Special Thanks To:
Howard W. Ameling, John Fry, Pete Mayor and Andrew Keates for providing photos! Lionel Trains for sending us a train to review! John Brahaney for drawing a comic for us! Our Readers for continued support!
Check out our Sponsors! Stockyard Express www.stockyardexpressllc.com (440) 774-2131 49293 Plate Rd Oberlin, Ohio 44074 Nicholas Smith Trains www.nicholassmithtrains.com 610-353-8585 2343 West Chester Pike, Broomall, Pa 19008 Maxrailroad www.youtube.com/maxrailroad www.facebook.com/maxrailroad www.instagram.com/maxrailroad 27
Note from the Publisher
Looking at my life, I realize now what a huge influence trains to me. Of course trains play a part in how I spend my time and money, but there is a much bigger picture here that I am only starting to see. Trains give me oppurtunites that no one else has. I have made friends with people from all over the world on one simple premise: a common love for railroads. I don't think I have ever realized how lucky I am to have this interest and passion for trains, I am so lucky to be able to call myself a foamer. Another great thing about trains is that I know that even though I am 16, I have already left a mark in this world. With my YouTube channel that has thousands of views, and this Magazine where my work is published for the whole world to read, I know that I have made something of muyself already thanks to my passion. If I were to dissappear off the face the earth tomorrow, I would have a legacy. I have left a mark in the world of railroading despite my young age, something few people get to say. I am a lucky man, and my love for trains will always carry me through.
Note from the Editor-in-Chief
As teenagers, we all lead very busy lives and we are frequently tempted by other interests, as we are only now beginning to find ourselves, and new interests and ideas leap out at us during this time of our lives than in any other. So, how do we keep ourselves focused on what we do? Personally, I find most of my inspiration on the trips I take to see trains. Recently, two other RIAM employees and I took a trip out to Altoona, Pennsylvania. Altoona, which has been a magnet for railfans for as long as it has hosted railroads, offers a lot of inspiration for its suitors to keep with a railfan magazine. From the short steam excursions offered by the tiny Everett Railroad to the immense Horseshoe Curve, there is little reason to leave Altoona disenchanted with the railroad. Coming back from one of these trips, it is easy to fall back in love with what you do. I won’t lie: my interest in trains was fading, albeit slowly, as I had been becoming increasingly disenchanted with the state of things within the community and the lack of variety in the things I saw. I mean, where is the thrill of feeling a steam locomotive with its circus of vibrantly painted passenger cars roar past when all you have is a matched pair of drably painted GEVOs leading a long, homogeneous line of well cars with their loads of identical containers? I had previously made it a point to only go out when I knew there was going to be a steam excursion. The past few years, I have been spoiled; I live in Virginia, and every 611 excursion was just a few hours away. I could go out at 4 am, chase the day away, and be home by dinner. These trips were the most excitement anyone could ever ask for, but they were few and far between, and certainly not easy to pull off. This most recent trip to Altoona was to change all this, and I now plan to go watch trains a bit more, even without a steam locomotive, which stands to change how I view the hobby, and keeps me motivated to continue my work with RIAM and the railroading community as a whole. YOUR AD HERE! Start advertising with railroading in America Magazine Today! Email maxharris@railroadinginamerica.net or call 888-204-0087 to get started!
Railroading in America is a trademark of C Lines Railways and Productions Copyright 2018. All rights reserved Cover Photo Copyright 2018 Max Harris