Wednesday Route Update Post:
Friday Route Update Status
[x} are you kidding?
[ ] yes, some Friday we will update.
Well, it looks like no update. I am sort of taking a little route breather after completing Walden. Rest assured, I went down to Carlton Hill, with my trusty track plan, google earth, transit and level, and so had to rip out 3/4 of the track. After the carnage, and a few gandy-dancer fights that broke out, elevation, grade and position are looking strong! I also got some buildings laid down for Royce Chemical. I said I would do it, and do it I will. For you Google lurkers who check my route out, you know I got a lot of crap to lay out. My Mister Strawman asks " why do you waste your time doing these spurs?" Well, I like spurs, cuz, they are hard to do. And, they go off the beaten path of what people know, and take you into the 'grit' that makes up the 'real' railroad. In this case, well, Carlton Hill is special. Special enough to do it. (and get in big scenery trouble along the way). You see, this is THE original Erie Main, darn track went right though Passaic, NJ. Now, when merger time came in 1960 of 2 great railroads, well, they didn't need that track and the City of Passaic had had enough of rattlers bursting through their town at all hours. So, in 1963, they ripped up the track, swung the bridge open over the Passaic and called it a day. What was left was a mile or so of track, a station and Royce Chemical. The passenger traffic held on for a few more years, and Royce lasted in the 1980s with Conjob. So, since this is off the beaten path, I get to do a time-warp down in old Carlton Hill and bring back the past. And even better, preserve some history for those inclined to seek the "hidden gems of Minerman's Bergen Line" (tm). I hope I don't wreck my mind doing it. So what you get will be the steam powered swing bridge circa 1964, the station circa 1970, and Royce circa 1983. Ill make it blend - trust me. Also, I suspect the skyline for Passaic, NJ and hundreds of houses, trees and all the other stuff that will need to be put in for our mutual enjoyment. Forgive me, and my inclination to drift of course, but I promised an EL employee who hung out at that bridge as a kid in the Summer of 62' a chance to see it again.
Yeah, I roll like this.
In other news, please check out Rudijagers thread on an Erie-EL 44 tonner he is repainting. I forgot to post on his thread about what its like to see the Erie heralds. For me it evokes another time and place and steam. Grandpa signed on the Erie in 34' and retired out in 74' on the EL ( a day I fondly remember) My Dad and his sisters used their Erie employee pass in the 50's to go to Passaic to shop for school clothes. And to this day, when we refer to this place that is depicted on this simulator its either "the railroad' or "the Erie". I just love how its all still alive in our minds and hearts in my family. And it is very very special, when someone like Rudi, takes the time, and has an interest, where otherwise he would not (he's from out West) and puts his heart into working on a little something for the Bergen. This is the unexpected return I get from this project. The idea of putting a little bit of the Erie in your thoughts keeps it alive. Thank you all.
And in other, other news: Well, this is for you Rudy: The Erie Railroad Harlem Station facility. Look it up.
* the EL was truly a very diverse and interesting railroad.
I don't think we can.
