Your Holiday Layouts

[Guilford Guy]

Who here has trains around the tree?
Post some pictures for the enjoyment and envy of the other members

No EZ track for a layout after I sent it away to Plasser. I left the Maerklin Equipment and track down in Rhode Island so no layout for me this year.
I have some Maerklin pix from a couple years ago.
I've also included a CRUDE  map

Its quite fun. I can operate 4 trains independently with Maerklins System which is somewhat  like a very simple DCC system.


I usually have a switcher working the small yard (in North Grafton, not the Passenger+Work Train Yard in Grafton Center) which doesn't interfere with mainline trains by use of a double slip switch. Sunnyville is where the lines divide to circle the tree to access The North Woods, the German Federal Railway Interchange, and the Pine Needle Supply Farm. There are 2 sets of remote crossovers near Sunnyville (The long straight run towards Sunnyville is beneath the sofa...) I can run 3 mainline trains consisting of a local passenger, and express passenger, and a fast freight. If I want something more fun I will give the Fast Freight a hotbox and have it stop outside Sunnyville, so we would then have to operate on single track between Grafton and the North Woods.

Time for pictures lol...


The first train of the day is not very well patronized and only suggests a short train of small older wooden coaches.


The Express Train from Sweden has arrived in Grafton. After Turning the Set on the balloon loop, they backed her into the station.


The work train sits int he Coach yard in Grafton.


A rush hour commuter train emerges from the Tunnel Under Sunnyville.


Harvesting Pine Needles for the production of creosote.


The work train and a set of Bavarian Express Coaches in the Grafton Yard.


North Grafton's Freight Yard


A set of truck chassis set for unloading on the North Grafton Team Track


A car of scrap metal from the local scrap yard sits on the yard lead. The Engine house is behind the scrap car. A morning commuter train enters North Grafton while the tail of a fast freight disappears from view.


A freight train prepares to enter Sunnyville Tunnel.


Two Cars sit on the DB interchange awaiting pickup by the local freight crew. With the masses of Commuter, Express, and Fast Freight trains in the daytime hours, all the local freight trains must run at night.


A speed restriction at the North Woods curve was not obeyed...


The Yard Crew needed to use the Mainline as the lead was too short to accommodate the large cut of cars. Unfortunately the yard crew did not reset the mainline switch when a morning Rush Hour train came flying towards Grafton.

[SteamGene]

The narrow gauge North Pole Division of the VT&P is a simple loop around the tree - a live spruce to be planted in January set on a hill with Hawthorne Village, 52 and other buildings.  The train is mixed with a Hawthorne Village Robert Kinkaid 2-6-0 and three passenger cars (combine, coach, observation) and three freight - beer reefer, low side gondola, and Gramps tanker.  We may put in a passing/storage siding if I can find the 1/3 18" radius track necessary.  But maybe that will wait until next year.  The viewers like the set up. 
BTW, this is a Christmas layout. 
Gene

[Bob S]

It's odd to see European prototype in "my" North Grafton.  I lived in Shrewsbury ("Shoosbree") about 1/2 mile from the North Grafton line and spent much time at Nelson Park and Braddock's hot dog stand ... we would take our bikes through the tunnel under the B&A tracks to visit the small general store that was right across the street from the North Grafton depot, a great spot for train-watching in the 1950's and early 60's.

Resp'y,
Bob S.

[Guilford Guy]

Oh ya Bob?
Its kind of Sad that the Grafton & Upton has no more service.
Every now and then I'll take Commuter Rail out to Worcester  to fan with my friends, and then go operate on one of their layouts- The White River Southern.
WRS belongs to a shortline conglomerate much like Vermont Railway where WRS, VAST(Vermont and South Troy), MNER (Midland New England), and PCRR (Pennichuck RR) are all under the control of NEAT(New England-Atlantic Transportation). They each share similar schemes although each scheme has a different color...
PCRR is blue with white upside down V striping on the nose and rear...
MNER is green with yellow Striping
VAST is maroon with gold striping
WRS is red with white striping
NEAT is black with yellow striping.
Currently 3 locomotives are int he MNER receiving paint-
MNER GP30 517
WRS GP9RM 1701
PCRR GP40-2 206
http://www.getphpbb.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=108&mforum=ntres2
http://neatrailcorportation.googlepages.com/home

I am sorry, I am wayyyyyyyyyyyyy off topic.
Gene, sounds like a nice set up!
A week ago on craigslist someone listed one of those sets with 4 cars and a fairly large ovalish square of track and power pack for 50$.
So sad I was short of funds...

[Bob S]

Alex:

All I remember of the G&U was a forelorn ALCO swicher sitting on the tracks just outside Grafton Center when I was on my way to the rifle range (come up the hill from Lake Ripple, and go left at the center).  There was also a forelorn coach on a siding right at the grade crossing.  The ALCO was basic black, well-weathered, with "Grafton and Upton" lettered on it; and I don't remember if it was on the hood or the cab.  That was probably about 1972~73, just before I went back in the Navy.  There was some interesting trackage in the area.  I used to fall asleep in the summer nights in the 50's hearing the B&A whistling near the depot (B&A was still in steam). 

Enjoyed your pix ... have not seen trains set up on the floor since about 1954!

Resp'y,
Bob S.

[Guilford Guy]

I think they still have an S1 and a 44 tonner or 2. I think wheatabix gets a car every now and then although I can't recall a move there ina  few months. The old coach of which you speak is now at The Steaming Tender in Palmer, being refurnished for families to eat in. It provides an excellent view on NECR.

[geezerjim]

I finally got my on30 stuff set up in the Arizona room and when I saw these Christmas village buildings at Walgreen's I couldn't resist.  Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to all from Sun City.