Because I Can
Who says a Union Pacific 4-12-2 "Union Pacific" steam locomotive would never be seen running atop Boston & Maine rails?
Well, I have proof it had! "Why?" You ask. Because I can!
It is my railroad and I'll run whatever I like, whenever I like...within reason of course!
😀😁😎😁😀
In reality, my dear friend Rob Kazakoff came over for a visit to discuss the latest O scale project he, Doug Matheson & I will be working on...and he brought along his Broadway Limited steam engine "fresh out of the box" that had never been run before.
Rob is yet to build his own home layout, and he wondered if such a large locomotive as this UP beast would navigate my 'minimum 30" radius curves'.
Video of her starting up!
Ignore my crazy camera work in this particular video as I quickly threw a turnout I had forgotten about!
Remember, this is a first time 'test run' where Rob & I are checking the tractive effort, the ability to run through turnouts and also the 30" curves along with checks of the trip pins on the couplers.
We are underway out from the yard at Lowell, Massachusetts passing beneath my latest model build; the concrete yard tower.
Video of her departure from the yard at Lowell.
Arrival at North Dover.
Yes, the Union Pacific referred to these 4-12-2 beasts as "Union Pacific" types.
Arrival video in North Dover.
We catch the advancing through the crossing at Boundary Road on the outskirts of town.
These 9000 series UP locomotives were the only 4-12-2's ever built.
Boundary Road video footage.
This is the main road into and out of town and B&M crews switching the yard (out of view to the right) must allow motor vehicle traffic to cross the rails after a very specific time limit.
Indeed there is no lengthy fouling of the crossing in this town!
It's a misty morning at Haney Gorge.
Give another hour and the rising mist off the river will clear as the sun rises in the sky.
River crossing as captured on video.
Haney Gorge is a deep cut where the New England River has eroded the landscape throughout the eons.
We catch the train in staging at the yard in Lowell having arrived from Boston.
These engines were exclusive to the UP, designed to pull fast freight across flat territory.
This scene is at the duckunder entrance to my train room.
In the distance (and nearby) you can spot B&M and Maine Central trains staged and ready to do their dance on the layout!
Lowell arrival video.
These were massive three-cylinder locomotives featuring an inside cylinder driving a cranked axle.
The train has exited the tunnel which exists beneath the main street in town.
This scene is loosely modeled after a similar tunnel in Bellows Falls, Vermont.
North Dover is the urban epicenter of the layout.
The shed, freight house and station were a gift from my good friend, Dave Haney.
Ignore the 'depth of field' issues with this video.
It shows the train arriving North Dover from the south (inbound to Boston) end of town.
The train will continue its journey north (outbound to Portland, Maine) after departing town.
The locomotive tiptoes onto Stanley Bridge crossing the Salmon River.
The Salmon River acts as the border between Maine & New Hampshire.
The crew is departing my fictional North Dover, New Hampshire bound for Portland, Maine.
Video action at the Salmon River crossing.
My good friend Stan Conley assisted in the design of the jig that was used to create the stone arch bridge.
I cast the bridge in plaster and carved the individual stonework.
Remember, this was when I was only into the hobby a couple of years...I'd do a better job of carving today...but for sentimental reasons, the bridge stays where it is.
This 'going away' shot at Marshall Cut showcases the Conley Lumber & Coal facility to the left.
Marshall Cut is named after my good friend Trevor Marshall who was instrumental in the design of the layout; in particular the concept of "Surround Staging".
Video work at Marshall Cut.
How about a black & white shot of this beautiful steam locomotive 'in motion'!
These 'puppies' developed over 96 000 lbs of tractive effort and could pull 125 freight cars at 50 MPH!
Short video at the New England River Bridge.
While officially referred to as "Union Pacific" types, early models with air compressors on the smoke boxes were given the nickname, "Bald-Faced Nines".
Rob & I have turned this great locomotive around to have it run clockwise around the layout to help 'break her in'.
This is the same location the cover shot for MR's Great Model Railroads 2004 issue was taken by the late Peter Nesbitt.
Here we are at the very same location - different angle.
Charls Gendron super detailed and custom painted my RS3 road switcher in Boston & Maine colours.
The locomotive once again enters Marshall Cut from the northern (outbound) end on its trajectory to North Dover and eventually Boston.
A grand total of 88 of these magnificent machines were produced for the Union Pacific between 1926 and 1930.
Video effort at the New England River Bridge once more!
The crew exits Marshall Cut and rolls above Mitchell Creek at Milepost 39.
Action video reels nearby the Conley Lumber & Coal facility.
Note the sound of the trailing truck beneath the cab which is off the rails.
Rob will have to work the spring to push down harder on the truck to have it remain railed.
The crew crosses the junction with the Maine Central beneath the highway overpass.
The interlocking tower was one of the earliest Craftsman kits I had built.
It is a plaster structure.
I first sprayed all of the wall sections a concrete colour then used my daughter's red felt tipped marker to lightly brush atop the bricks taking care to leave the concrete colour tones in the mortar.
Delicate, yes...but easily handled with a great deal of patience in the recipe!
My latest tower build is this plaster kit which was rather challenging.
The walls were made of plaster but the lower bay area beneath the windows was made of white metal castings which needed considerable filing to get just the perfect angle to have the bay window area fit between the corner pilasters.
There was a wooden interior floor as well.
This tower replaced an earlier wooden craftsman kit I had built.
And...here was that tower guarding the yard at Lowell Junction.
I was able to find a home for this structure at the inbound entrance to the yard in North Dover!
This tower replaced an earlier basic Atlas plastic kit tower which everyone would remember.
Fortunately I was able to locate this image of that tower which stood proudly in place for many years.
I painted the individual bricks (yes I know that is a bit crazy!) as well as all plastic areas before weathering.
This effort paid off - resulting in a more realistic and authentic looking tower rather than the 'plastic-y' looking one housed on many layouts across North America at the time!
Video of the train's progress through the junction with the Maine Central.
We catch the train returning to North Dover on its inbound journey.
This scene is based on one I recall from my childhood camping in the Northeastern region of the USA.
We follow the crew inbound through the Boundary Road crossing.
They round the expansive curved yard in North Dover.
Video views of the progress of the train.
Low angle shot in North Dover.
The height variation from top of rail to the water level in the lake is one inch offering a wonderful vertical dimensional change.
Arriving the station platform.
The train passes the yard tower that used to protect Lowell Junction at the duckunder entrance to the room.
The ivy on the brick walls of the Scodras Grocers building offers an interesting touch and the trees help to sooth the harsh angles of buildings in the rural setting.
More urban video footage.
Arrival back at the duckunder entrance to the roof at Lowell Jct.
Final video from Rob's visit with his wonderful steam locomotive.
This test run allowed Rob to learn that the 4-12-2 steamer can easily navigate 30" radius curves.
He realized that he will have to adjust the spring setting on the trailing wheels beneath the cab.
He will also have to adjust the trip pins on the front coupler for them to clear any rails on curves or at crossings.
Finally, Rob will eventually 'weather' the locomotive to allow the details to 'pop'!
For more info on this remarkable locomotive, copy and paste the following address into your computer's browser:
https://www.steamlocomotive.com/locobase.php?country=USA&wheel=4-12-2#:~:text=The%204%2D12%2D2%20was%20dubbed%20the,for%20the%20Union%20Pacific%20Railroad.
Rob snapped this image from the sawmill diorama he, Doug & I worked on over the past year.
That's Rob to the right with Doug explaining the workings of a sawmill to our good friend Jeff Hill.
My wife Lisa created this caricature of me playing my guitar with a train running in the background and my puppy dog Lilly listening to the 'sound of music' coming from the guitar and the percussion from the train!
Thanks for checking in on this fun blog entry.
Keep a lookout for another entry from Tommy Hoods' final operating session and one from my visit to Norm Levert's NORD Railway in the days to come.
I am a member of the OVGRS here in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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