Photoblogging for when it's busy

Okay, summer has been surprisingly full between work and family commitments, visitors staying with us and the occasional unexpected project.  Nonetheless, I have been getting some modeling and rail fanning in, just not enough hours in the day to blog it.

I have been taking shots of what ever has been going on so there’s some record of railroading during the summer of 2009 in the local Richmond area.  All my photos are uploaded to Flickr shortly after I take the shots.  If I have time, I will do a little renaming and add comments.  I’ve been focusing on detail shots to be of use for various present and future projects.  I hope they are of some use to you too.

Just click on the photos on the left side and feel free to leave comments on the photos, I’ll be glad to answer any questions.

Thanks for stopping by and reading this blog. I’ll be posting as I have time. In the mean time, enjoy the photos.

- Coxy

A Question of Complexity - Part 3

This is the third in a series of posts about complex trackwork that prompted by a note from Hector, a blog reader in Brazil

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A Question of Complexity - Part 2

[Part 1 introduces modeling possibilities for complex trackwork and the general options for modelers to create complex handlaid track.]

This post will examine why complex track occurs and consider some examples of complex track.  The next post will suggest some factors that are important in creating successful complex trackwork in model form.

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A Question of Complexity - Part 1

I received a note from Hector in Argentina on one of my posts about Tim Warris’s CNJ Bronx Terminal layout.

Can you tell me how to build this type of junction track?
I have a serious problem of space, and I want to build something like urban industrial tram track.

Regards from Argentina

The junction Hector is referring to is pictured at right

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Stege Pass in the Morning

I’ve always liked the horizontal light in the morning for taking pictures.

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2nd Street Job

It’s around 8:30pm and the Richmond Pacific afternoon shift crew is taking a break.  The Cutting Lead appears to have been switched already and the train seen here on the Cutting lead will go to the 2nd Street Lead once the crew returns.

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When Flour Trucks Go Bad!

A flour truck driver has a story to tell tonight after managing to tip their truck on its side in the Safeway backlot today.

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Boxcars on the Richmond Pacific?

received a question from Miles regarding boxcars on the Richmond Pacific…

I was wondering, is there any boxcar-based traffic on the RPRC? I see reefers (does anybody make a good N scale modern reefer?) tank cars, centerbeams, cement hoppers, grain hoppers and the occasional scrap gondola.

If so, what industry is served?

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Sweet Railroad Music

Updated on Wednesday, March 11, 2009 at 06:04PM by Steve Cox

Watch this clip, then watch again, with your eyes closed.

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Spacing for Railroad Ties

Updated on Friday, March 13, 2009 at 10:27PM by Steve Cox

Railroad tracks are not all equal in appearance. Variation in track appearance comes from a handful of distinctive track characteristics that identify it as main, branch or siding track.  Modelers can exploit this fact to drive realism on model tracks.

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