Wordless Wednesday #505 - Mack ACX Railbus For Sale - Runs Great $200

 

NEW HAVEN RAILROAD TRAIN SHOW & CONVENTION THIS WEEKEND!!!

Hope you can join us for the NHRHTA's big TRAIN SHOW AND CONVENTION, with lots of fun & frivolity this Friday and Saturday (including new NHRR model announcements from Rapido and BLI!) - and if you're a NHRHTA member, on Sunday you can see the Valley Local - as well as some really well-done NHRR-themed layouts!

As you'll see below, there is a LOT going on! So check out the details - and hope to see you there!!

Labor Day Weekend - 77 Years Ago TODAY!...

   

I'm told it was 77 years ago today - the Friday of Labor Day Weekend, September 3, 1948 - when an 8 year old little boy went down to the Old Saybrook station platform to watch trains. The sun was going down - it'd be totally set within a few minutes - and in the gathering dusk a dull roar like thunder could be heard . . .

Looking eastward down the tracks, toward the gathering darkness, the sound seemed to get closer and he could just start to make out what looked like a plume of smoke - or maybe it was two? That didn't make sense. Almost all of the trains on the Shore Line were dieselized now, but, as loud as a pair of back-to-back DL-109s are, they sure don't sound like this . . .

It was the glimmer on the rails, lighting up the curve in the far distance, that was the first giveaway that a train was for-sure coming. Of course, the little boy knew a train was due. He'd been into trains for as long as he could remember and he knew how to read a timetable.

He knew that the approaching train had just crossed the Connecticut River and was accelerating hard off the bridge. It sure sounded like it - and the distinctive bark meant this train had to have a steam locomotive on the point. And with it being a little past 7pm, that meant it had to be The Merchant's Limited.

But was it early? The Merchants wasn't due through Saybrook until 7:17 . . . but just then, the train came blasting around the distant curve - exhaust roaring and headlight blazing! Before he could fully comprehend it all, The Advance Merchants Limited flew by at 65 miles an hour behind not one, but TWO! I-4 Pacifics with 23 heavyweight parlor cars on their tail.

In the rush of the passing train, little John Pryke could just make out the glow of two fireboxes and just as quickly as it had come, it was gone again with the tail sign receding quickly toward the sunset.

As the dust settled and the thunder of the Merchants' passing began to fade, the impression of the sight seared itself into the little boy's memory, and sparked a passion for the New Haven Railroad that would last the rest of his life and spur him into recreating this memory in miniature, someday.

* * * * * * * *

I try to relate this story at or at least near the anniversary of this event, which is all - mostly - verified as true. Especially since it not only inspired John to a life-long love of the New Haven RR, but - indirectly - influenced my choice not only of prototype, but of era and locale. John often mentioned visiting his grandparents in Old Saybrook and going with them down to the station to watch the trains go by. And he remembers seeing the double-headed, steam-powered Advance Merchant's Limited the Friday evening of Labor Day Weekend, 1948. It was this event, more than anything else, that he always pointed to as the inspiration for getting into model railroading and trying to recreate the New Haven in HO scale.

In fact, all of John's layouts - all featured at one time or another in books or the pages of Model Railroader - were firmly set in space and time: Southern New England's New Haven Railroad was the space, and the time could only ever be "September, 1948."

Now, almost twelve years after John's passing, I'm closer than ever to being able to recreate this memory in miniature. I have the Old Saybrook station scene as a highlight on my layout and, while I don't mind varying my chosen era within the narrow confines of "1947-1949," for all intents and purposes I'm modeling the Autumn of 1948.

I think - and hope - John would be proud of the effort. And I know he'd get a kick out of seeing a little HO scale version of his 8 year old self on the Saybrook station platform, waiting for another train to go by . . .

* This post originally appeared 9/27/2018, 70 years to the month since the event took place. I've reposted it not only to commemorate such an important time in John's life, but to remind myself that preserving these memories is one of the reasons for embarking on this project in the first place.

Ralph "The Mudfather" Renzetti, RIP

Even though I never met him in person, his friendship and mentorship did more to improve my modeling than anyone else I've known. Sadly, Ralph Renzetti passed away suddenly last night and with his passing I - and so many others who had the good fortune to know him and learn from him - lost a loyal friend and patient teacher.

Like many others, I first heard of Ralph during the NMRAx days during COVID and I'll never forget the first time I tuned in to one of his online clinics. He started his clinic and, patiently and methodically, started to describe in detail all the processes and techniques he used for weathering freight cars. About 20 minutes in, the moderator interrupted him to say that the feed wasn't working and/or that it wasn't being recorded and asked if he'd mind starting over.

And, without missing a beat, Ralph literally went right back to the beginning of his PowerPoint and - without a hint of annoyance or frustration - just started over and did his clinic a second time as if nothing had happened.

Our paths started to cross regularly as we both began participating in the Wednesday night zoom chats sponsored by the A Modeler's Life podcast (AML). I was always impressed - and a little surprised - by how readily he would share, in detail, different weathering processes and secrets of the trade, despite his running a weathering business. It was obvious that he had the heart and soul of a teacher, and his love for helping others achieve good results was obvious.

But he could also have some pretty strong opinions, and his disdain for the use of craft paints and PanPastels in weathering freight cars and locomotives became legendary as a constant inside joke, which even he laughed at from time to time (but he never changed his mind :^)  One of the first times he and I corresponded directly through FB Messenger, we got into a debate about airbrushing craft paints. Suffice it to say, I was for and he was against. Also, suffice it to say, that he eventually convinced me that part of my airbrush phobia was due to getting bad results from using inferior products.

In fact, Ralph Renzetti is alone responsible for getting me over my fear of the airbrush. Not only did he recommend what airbrush to get (and sent me a coupon code when he heard that model airbrush was on sale), but he would also "go with me" via online chat to local hobby shops to help me purchase the "right" paint. Best of all, he would patiently "watch over my shoulder" via FaceTime, FB Messenger, or Zoom, teaching me the correct techniques and talking me through (and down) whenever something went wrong. "Don't worry - we can fix that," spoken in the same patient tone I'd remembered from his NMRAx clinic, reassured me that whatever happened would turn out ok. You can't put any kind of price on the boost of confidence that provides, especially when trying to learn something new.

But the two most profound influences Ralph had on my modeling was in helping me develop some skill in weathering - as well as (the other extreme) creating a "show room finish" on a couple of model automobiles.

Before Ralph, my weathering "technique" (if I bothered to weather at all) was to slap on some chalks and hope they didn't disappear when I applied Dullcote. But he graciously offered to tutor me through weathering a new locomotive - all virtually & online. His watching over me, offering tips and advice along the way, and helping me avoid mistakes (and sharing his expertise in fixing any mistakes I made), allowed me to produce a model that was WAY beyond my natural ability. I often jokingly referred to him as "ObiWan" (another one of his nicknames was "Obi Wan Cannolli") but he'd give it right back, calling me "Young Padawan." I also called him my training wheels and guardrails, since I was able to make MUCH faster progress with him by my side (even if only virtually) than if I'd been reaching around in the dark on my own.

And outside of model railroading, he was my partner in building "Two Old Fords for Christmas" for my dad last year. I hadn't known that he was not only a professional weatherer of model railroad stuff, but was an accomplished contest quality automobile modeler as well. I hadn't built a car kit since I was 9 years old. But - again - with his patient guidance, teaching me everything I needed to know, step-by-step along the way, and even teaching me brand new skills, I was able to finish those two models for my dad in time for Christmas.

Whether hanging out during online chats, or down in my basement via zoom, Ralph was a wonderful friend, amazingly generous with his time and sharing his talent. His legacy will live on in the many others like me that have become much better modelers because of his teaching and example. Even more important than that though, I've become a better, more patient person myself for having had the privilege of knowing him and I'll miss him terribly.

Wordless Wednesday #504 - More Railfan Pics

 

Wordless Wednesday #503 - Random Recent Railfan Photos

 

Wordless Wednesday #502: June/July Progress - Middletown/Cromwell Backdrop, yard track painting/ballasting/dirting

 

Wordless Wednesday #501 - New Toy...

 

Wordless Wednesday #500 - NHRHTA Convention!

 

Wordless Wednesday #499 - Railfanning the Local

Wordless Wednesday #498 - Concrete Pad Done

 

Wordless Wednesday #497 - Another Article!

 

Wordless Wednesday #496 - Collinsville, CT - Source Unknown

 

Quick Update...

I know content has been a bit lax here as I focus (too much time) on the Valley Local Facebook Group, and it's also my busiest time of year at the day job. . . But there are some exciting new developments coming up and I'm planning on sharing them here too, so your continued patience is appreciated!

In the meantime, in addition to helping Pete out with his layout . . .

 . . . I've also been working at the north end of Middletown - specifically, the "floodplain" area at the Middletown/Cromwell town line. . .

. . . and I finally finalized the backdrop in this area (so those sheets of paper you see above will be replaced soon), but I haven't had a chance to install it yet . . .

. . . and the main reason for that (other than the aforementioned dayjob schedule), is because I focuesd on finishing up New Haven Railroad DEY-4 #0806 . . .

I custom painted/lettered an undec Rapido 44-tonner and weathered it with a combination of airbrushed acrylics, oil paints, and PanPastels. I also installed MV lenses as well as a cab-filling Scale Sound Systems speaker which really rattles the windows. Only downside is that I had to sacrifice the cool cab interior. But I think it's worth it. You can have a listen in the video below . . .

The video also shows some of the other progress being made in Middletown - specifically a new "concrete" pad for the bulk track.

More to come, so thanks much for your patience and stay tuned!

Wordless Wednesday #495

 

Wordless Wednesday #494 - Current Projects

 

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