How to Build Realistic Layouts #4

[prebres]

Have any of you seen the ads for this "book" from Model railroader?
It advertises "Modeling the Railroad Town of Steubenville, Ohio"

Huh?

That's where I live. I never knew I lived in a "railroad town." Sure the Norfolk Southern tracks are less than 400 feet from my back door, and there is a yard on the outskirts of town. But never thought of it as a railroad town.

Anyway...if any of you decide to try this and need some photos, just let me know and I will be happy to snap 'em!

[Yampa Bob]

Wow, your town is famous. You should write the magazine and tell them. Does the author of the book live there also?  If not I would sure critique his book for accuracy. He might be just a guy who passed through and decided to write about it. 

Do you have a link for the book ad?  I'm just curious about it.  Meanwhile I'll pull up the aerial photo and check out the yard.  Do you have the geographic coordinates for the town? (latitude and longitude).

Bob

[prebres]

Bob,

The ad is on page 84 of the May 2008 Model Ralroader. It says you can order the book via this link www.modelrailroader.com/mr4

[richG]

Here are some results after using Google.com to search for Steubenville Ohio railroads.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ned=us&q=Steubenville+Ohio+railroad&btnmeta%3Dsearch%3Dsearch=Search+the+Web

I live in a small city that use to have a railroad though it but ripped up back in the 1980s. I moved to the town in 2000. A little searching and I found a fair amount of early era passenger traffic and industries that the railroad use to serve. The station still exist. A couple of businesses closed after the railroad stopped serving the branch. Most businesses closed before the railroad branch closed.
Right now MR is taking orders for the book.

Rich

[Guilford Guy]

Rich, do you live on one of the old B&M branches? They started abandoning unused branches in the late 70's, and continued to until the mid 80's.

[prebres]

The book is available at my local Borders.

[prebres]

Ok, bought the "special edition model railroader" Bookazine. 2 pictures of "Steubenville." One could be anywhere on the east coast, the other is actually the train yard in Mingo Junction. There are a couple of photos of a station.

If you want to model steubenville, save the eight bucks...here's what you need.


1. River (wide, brown, dirty, fast) That's your eastern border.
2. Coal fields. (Western border)
3. Steel mill (Huge...BOF, EAF, Casters, Tin Mill, Rolling mill. Make sure half of it looks shut down. )That is your southern border. From river to about halfway west. Sould take up 1/2 of town.
4.  Pottery Northen border.

Double track along river east of town. Single track right through middle of town. Road passes under track.

Fill town with bars, pizza shops, churches, and a bordello called "Judy Jordan's" right in middle of town. Yes, next to track.

If you are doing anything modern, time wise, add a Walmart at W end.

Need pics....just ask!

[grumpy]

Sounds like you should write the book. You can get a Chinese Co.to print it
for you.
don

[Santa Fe buff]

Reminds me when the Amtrak wreck happened in where I live, Bourbonnais, IL. That was terrible, I can ride for under 5 minutes over the CN mainline to the crossing were it happened, there is a momoerial for the dead. I fell bad, plus there is a picture of the aftermath in the Farm and Fleet on the portrat on the wall.
Here's a link:
http://www.ntsb.gov/events/1999/bourbonnais/amtrak5.jpg