spookyac47
New Member
I was born into a railroading family. We lived in Somerville, MA, just outside of Boston and within walking distance of a Boston and Maine railroad yard. My grandfather worked as an engineer for the B&M and retired from service around 1958 as a passenger engineer. My father worked for the B&M and fired for my grandfather on steam locomotives from time to time and worked the industrial areas switching cars. My uncle also worked for the B&M but I am not sure what role he filled but it was administrative. Needless to say, during those years, I rode trains a lot but it was part of life for us and not really anything special.
I remember many trips with Grandpa on the Boston and Maine between Boston, MA and Portland, ME, many on RDC consists (single or multiple) as well as trips on the Flying Yankee. I remember riding in the cab of EMD “F” or “E” units for short periods of time and then the remainder of the trip in care of train crew in the diner. I remember Grandpa trying to walk me through and EMD unit engine room while we were in transit (to get me back to the passenger cars) and me afraid of the noisy beast behind the door and refusing to go. I remember sitting in Grandpa’s lap in Portland, ME while we moved the Flying Yankee, years later I would understand why, the Flying Yankee had to be turned for the return trip. I remember Grandpa shutting down the engines on the RDC’s and us checking the oil level prior to the return trip.
I remember my first Lionel O-27 train set at around 4-5 years old for Christmas . . . which was quickly taken over by dad and Grandpa that day . . . while I got to watch. I remember my first 4’ x 8’ layout built in the basement of our new house in Tewksbury, MA
I remember Grandpa getting me my first HO scale locomotive years later, an Athearn HO scale GP-9 decorated for the Wabash and trying to understand how rubber bands could make the locomotive move. I remember the loop of HO track that was placed on the layout inside the O-27 loop and hours of running both trains and trying to match the speeds so they would charge around the layout, head to head.
During 1961 we moved to Southern California and the dual scale layout was scrapped. Eventually, in our new home in California, another sheet of 4’ x 8’ plywood was obtained and the HO scale empire took place in the garage – no basements to be had in Southern California.
During high school, fumes (gasoline fumes and perfume) took over and the layout languished.
During a visit to Southeast Asia during 1968 and 1969, I rediscovered model railroading through a copy of Model Railroading a friend in the barracks received in a “care” package from home.
While stationed at Randolph AFB, TX, discovered a club layout on the base at Lackland AFB, TX and participated in that during my time stationed there. Mostly worked on scenery on that layout and scratch-built a handful of buildings based on plans in model railroading magazines.
Years later, while stationed at Chanute AFB, IL for training in a new career field, discovered the club layout on base and participated in helping to get it up and running after years of neglect due to folks shipping out on new assignments.
Following my training on flight simulators at Chanute, was assigned to Castle AFB, CA where a program was in place with multiple B-52 bomber and KC-135 aerial tanker flight simulators in a building and sets of 1920’s vintage passenger cars. We had multiple sets of “mobile” flight simulators around the United States, each set assigned to a triangle of three bases. The cars would be moved every 30 days and would traverse the assigned triangle every 90 days. A crew of 6 enlisted folks would fly out and staff the mobile sim at each base. Two members of the crew would ride with the cars when they were moved to the next base in the triangle then turn them over to the next crew who was waiting when the cars arrived.
Some of the train crews that hauled the cars at the head of freight trains would let a “rail buff” ride up front in the head end locomotive for periods of time. I was able to make many trips in the cab of the locomotives instead of in the sim cars directly behind the diesels. I was able to travel and view many parts of the United States only viewable by train or aircraft. My time with that program lasted about 5 years.
During the time period, I discovered and became part of a group of train enthusiasts who were making trips to Tuolomne, CA to explore the grounds of the West Side Lumber Company and the remaining track, roadbed, logging equipment, and structures still remaining in the forest. Also spent many days riding the Sierra Railroad special and regular tourist trains.
Also spent many weekends exploring the former right-of-way of the Yosemite Valley railroad with a couple of like-minded enthusiasts.
Years after leaving the Air Force, I would become a volunteer member of the Orange Empire Railway Museum and operate equipment of the Pacific Electric and Los Angeles Transit at the museum on weekends for the paying public . . . did so for about 12-13 years. For about 5 years also belonged to the Riverside Live steamers (1” and 1.5” to the foot scale steam locomotives) and volunteered on weekends to help give rides to the public.
Following the move to Arizona, became somewhat inactive in model railroading but made several family trips on Amtrak to Houston to visit relatives. Eventually found the Southern Arizona Model Railroad Enthusiasts (SASME) HO scale club and joined and have been running trains there for a handful of years.
Son and I have made trips to the Nevada Northern Railroad in northeast Nevada and taken the throttle of an SD-9 for several hours one year and a steam locomotive for several hours the following year under their “rent a locomotive” program.
Soon, I will retire and then perhaps the home layout will finally get built . . . everything is in place and ready to go . . . work, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, college(as an adult), AYSO, and family have taken a huge part of my time over the years
Don
Lower Arizona
I remember many trips with Grandpa on the Boston and Maine between Boston, MA and Portland, ME, many on RDC consists (single or multiple) as well as trips on the Flying Yankee. I remember riding in the cab of EMD “F” or “E” units for short periods of time and then the remainder of the trip in care of train crew in the diner. I remember Grandpa trying to walk me through and EMD unit engine room while we were in transit (to get me back to the passenger cars) and me afraid of the noisy beast behind the door and refusing to go. I remember sitting in Grandpa’s lap in Portland, ME while we moved the Flying Yankee, years later I would understand why, the Flying Yankee had to be turned for the return trip. I remember Grandpa shutting down the engines on the RDC’s and us checking the oil level prior to the return trip.
I remember my first Lionel O-27 train set at around 4-5 years old for Christmas . . . which was quickly taken over by dad and Grandpa that day . . . while I got to watch. I remember my first 4’ x 8’ layout built in the basement of our new house in Tewksbury, MA
I remember Grandpa getting me my first HO scale locomotive years later, an Athearn HO scale GP-9 decorated for the Wabash and trying to understand how rubber bands could make the locomotive move. I remember the loop of HO track that was placed on the layout inside the O-27 loop and hours of running both trains and trying to match the speeds so they would charge around the layout, head to head.
During 1961 we moved to Southern California and the dual scale layout was scrapped. Eventually, in our new home in California, another sheet of 4’ x 8’ plywood was obtained and the HO scale empire took place in the garage – no basements to be had in Southern California.
During high school, fumes (gasoline fumes and perfume) took over and the layout languished.
During a visit to Southeast Asia during 1968 and 1969, I rediscovered model railroading through a copy of Model Railroading a friend in the barracks received in a “care” package from home.
While stationed at Randolph AFB, TX, discovered a club layout on the base at Lackland AFB, TX and participated in that during my time stationed there. Mostly worked on scenery on that layout and scratch-built a handful of buildings based on plans in model railroading magazines.
Years later, while stationed at Chanute AFB, IL for training in a new career field, discovered the club layout on base and participated in helping to get it up and running after years of neglect due to folks shipping out on new assignments.
Following my training on flight simulators at Chanute, was assigned to Castle AFB, CA where a program was in place with multiple B-52 bomber and KC-135 aerial tanker flight simulators in a building and sets of 1920’s vintage passenger cars. We had multiple sets of “mobile” flight simulators around the United States, each set assigned to a triangle of three bases. The cars would be moved every 30 days and would traverse the assigned triangle every 90 days. A crew of 6 enlisted folks would fly out and staff the mobile sim at each base. Two members of the crew would ride with the cars when they were moved to the next base in the triangle then turn them over to the next crew who was waiting when the cars arrived.
Some of the train crews that hauled the cars at the head of freight trains would let a “rail buff” ride up front in the head end locomotive for periods of time. I was able to make many trips in the cab of the locomotives instead of in the sim cars directly behind the diesels. I was able to travel and view many parts of the United States only viewable by train or aircraft. My time with that program lasted about 5 years.
During the time period, I discovered and became part of a group of train enthusiasts who were making trips to Tuolomne, CA to explore the grounds of the West Side Lumber Company and the remaining track, roadbed, logging equipment, and structures still remaining in the forest. Also spent many days riding the Sierra Railroad special and regular tourist trains.
Also spent many weekends exploring the former right-of-way of the Yosemite Valley railroad with a couple of like-minded enthusiasts.
Years after leaving the Air Force, I would become a volunteer member of the Orange Empire Railway Museum and operate equipment of the Pacific Electric and Los Angeles Transit at the museum on weekends for the paying public . . . did so for about 12-13 years. For about 5 years also belonged to the Riverside Live steamers (1” and 1.5” to the foot scale steam locomotives) and volunteered on weekends to help give rides to the public.
Following the move to Arizona, became somewhat inactive in model railroading but made several family trips on Amtrak to Houston to visit relatives. Eventually found the Southern Arizona Model Railroad Enthusiasts (SASME) HO scale club and joined and have been running trains there for a handful of years.
Son and I have made trips to the Nevada Northern Railroad in northeast Nevada and taken the throttle of an SD-9 for several hours one year and a steam locomotive for several hours the following year under their “rent a locomotive” program.
Soon, I will retire and then perhaps the home layout will finally get built . . . everything is in place and ready to go . . . work, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, college(as an adult), AYSO, and family have taken a huge part of my time over the years
Don
Lower Arizona
