Welcome to Joe's Model Railroad Site! This page will contain photos of my railroad and other notes regarding it. My railroad is a modest 4x8 foot pike based on a variation of the Atlas "Waterlevel Western" track plan. It is unique in that I am intentionally building it with parts and technology that existed in the early 1970's. Basically, it is the railroad I dreamed about having as a kid (I did not have the space or money for anything significant back then). All of the track is Atlas Code 100 track (this is because I have a significant collection of older AHM/Rivarossi locomotives and rolling stock, these will not run well on Code 83 track). Many of the buildings on the layout are older models from the 1960's and 1970's. I have obtained most of the "old" stuff for this layout using Ebay. It is amazing how many "never opened" old models are available on Ebay!
So, my railroad does not use any of the modern technology (such as DDC) by choice. True model railroaders would probably classify my layout more as a "train set" or like a Fisher Price train. My goal is not strict adherence to railroad standards... the goal is to have fun and enjoyment!
Some links to other train related pages...
Train drawings I did as a child
Train photos from the Salton Sea area of Southern California
Below are some photos of my pike.
Here is a partially completed scene looking down into "town" from a hill. A small farm is seen in the distance.
Another view of the farm. The farmer is trying to decide whether to use the horse or the Farmall tractor to do field work...
Yet another view of the farm... an old Ford pickup sits on a dirt road.
A Housatonic GP-35, one of my main road engines. Custom paint and decorating by Stuart Pate (Stuart is an engineer for Housatonic RR and graciously decorated this loco for me).
A steam loco waiting to pick up cars at a siding.
Vintage locomotives parked around the turntable. From left to right: a Tyco Alco Century 430, an AHM/Rivarossi U25C, an AHM/Tempo Fairbanks Morse C-liner, and a Tyco steam loco (partially in the engine house).
A slightly different view of the above scene.
January 2005. A vintage U25C loco rounds the S-curve with a long string of freight cars. The town can be seen in the background behind the pond.
January 2005. Old time passenger cars sit near a signal tower.
January 2005. The farm has a "new" old house (this house is that "classic" farmhouse kit that was so common to model railroads back in the 60s and 70s). Note the rabbit house under the tree.
January 2005. The farm as it looks today.
January 2005. A classic Tyco Shell tank car (back when they were made with cast metal underframes) passes by town, followed by a string of ore cars.
January 2005. A flat car loaded with brand new Farmall tractors sits on a siding not far from the maintenance building.
January 2005. The front of the church in town along with the Railroad hotel.