Gala Annual Open House at Arnie's / Milepost 38!
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Boston Traction Layout !
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by Jonathan Dandridge

Background:

My name is Jonathan Dandridge and I have been reading the Trolleyville Times for a few years now and always find it informative. I saw the notice where the Times was requesting information about layouts and clubs, so I thought I would tell the Times readers about a small layout that I am working on in a small apartment in Lewiston, Maine.

I have always had an interest in traction since a childhood spent in Boston and part of adulthood near Philadelphia, and often thought about a traction layout. Such a layout only came into being when we moved to a home with a spare 10 x 10 foot basement room, too small for a "real" railroad but big enough for traction. Layout was started but then we relocated to an apartment in Lewiston, Maine where the layout had to share space in a 12 x 12 "hobby room" which required some downsizing and reconfiguration of the original layout sections. Unfortunately, that meant the Mattapan and Ashmont sections had to be swapped, thus the New Haven Railroad (NHRR) enters the layout from the wrong side. Oh well.

Concept:

The layout comprises a somewhat freelanced version of Boston's Mattapan Ashmont line set in the late 1950's / early 1960's before MTA became MBTA. The Boston streetcar system was operated by Boston Elevated Railway until August 29, 1947 when the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) acquired the entire property. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority took over on August 3, 1964. and the now well-known Circle T herald was born. The layout includes a portion of the NHRR Milton Branch which allows some freight switching. To make things interesting, the trolley line has a single tracked section that is shared with the NHRR; thus the local NHRR switcher has to dodge the trolleys (or vice-versa) as it works the switching puzzle that is the Baker Chocolate Mill. See the somewhat crude drawing below:

Layout Description:

The layout starts at Mattapan Yard which is adapted from the real yard layout. Cars head past Valley Road where they enter the shared single track section, cross the Neponset River and enter Milton station. A commercial area using building fronts will be added behind the station which is in a cut next to the river, as is the prototype. The trolleys then pass the extensive switching area for Baker Chocolate on the Boston side of the river which (like the prototype) is accessed via a switchback and bridge. A brief stop at Butler St. follows, then we swing around through Cedar Grove Cemetery cross the river again and into Ashmont Rapid Transit station via a short section of street running, unlike the prototype. I also took liberties here as the original line looped through both sides of Ashmont which would have required grades up and down to cross the rapid transit yard, so instead only one side of the station is modeled. Oddly enough the current line does this now. The entire trolley portion runs off of overhead wire with both rails common which eliminates any issue with reversing loops. However since the NHRR is 2 rail, the shared trackage had to be made switchable between two-rail and trolley mode. The layout is operated using a Digitrax DCC Zephyr.

Status:

So far the Mattapan Yard is completed as well as most of the NHRR trackage. The trolley portion from Milton to Ashmont still remains. Scenery has been started in Mattapan and Milton. Overhead wire progress has been slow, me being not the most coordinated person in the world. Wire is #30 nickel silver suspended by poles made of 3/32" copper clad welding rod. The yard is wired and extends almost to Valley Road, waiting on completion of some scenery items that will be hard to access once the wire is in.

Equipment:

Currently the roster consists of one "All-Electric" PCC #3197 and one "Texas Ranger" double end PCC #3344. Both represent car types that were the most common on the line from the 1950's until a few years ago when the line was refitted with rebuilt "wartime" PCC's made surplus when the LRVs and Type 7's took over on the Green Line. Car 3197 is a kitbash of an old Bowser metal cast body with a left hand door donated from a Bachmann shell, fitted with the Bowser 1999 drive. Car 3344 is a kit that was sold by Custom Traxx which consisted of a Miniatures by Eric resin shell and a Bowser 1999 drive. I painted and lettered both cars using "rattle can" paint and Custom Traxx decals. In the future, I plan to add a Type 5 car for which I have acquired a Miniatures by Eric body shell. I would like to acquire another PCC, maybe a "picture window" car although they did not run on the Mattapan line to my knowledge, but I like them. I would also like to build some kind of work motor, perhaps a model of work car 3283 which lived at Reservoir Car House for many years and is now at Seashore Trolley Museum.

Photograph 1 - My entire current fleet is shown below laying over in Mattapan Yard.

Photograph 2 - Box Motor/Line Car #3283 at Shoreline Trolley Museum in Connecticut, which I hope to model someday.

Photograph 3 - Passengers at Milton wait for a car to Ashmont while the NHRR local switcher gets ready to switch Baker Chocolate.

Conclusion:

One thing I hope that Trolleyville Times readers will draw from this, is that it is possible with traction to have an interesting layout even if one lives in an apartment.

San Pedro Trolley Shutdown Coming...
[...resumption of service is not certain....!]

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The March 20, 2015 edition of the Pasadena Star-News told the Southern California residents that that San Pedro Trolley would be shutting down in September 2015 for a minimum of eighteen months due to the need to realign Sampson Way. This charming Waterfront Red Car line took years of planning, design and development including the expenditure of $10,000,000 to become a reality when it opened 12 years ago on July 19, 2003.

The newspaper stated that "...just like the vast system of Red Cars that once crisscrossed Los Angeles, it may not survive...", hence the need for this article. This line exists today because of a group of forward thinking Port Management that felt that the Pacific Electric was a strategic part of the history of San Pedro but it is beginning to appear that since that group of individuals is gone, the line is in danger. This is not the first shutdown of the line. The line was shutdown in 2013 for a track realignment which moved the single passing siding to the South of 6th Street. But rumors as to the lines demise are mainly caused by a lack of interest in the line by the current management. If was not THEIR idea so it is NOT important!

Also, the tracks that the line uses were until recently used for freight service. They have now been abandoned and maintenance is now totally the responsibility of the Port, a factor that does not endear the line to current management.

The track will have to be relocated and run along side of the new Sampson Way. There are all sorts of estimates on what this will cost and contained in the newspaper article are all the reasons to "get rid" of something that "someone" does not want.

Equipment at the line consists of two replica 500 series cars built exclusively for the line, numbered 500 and 501. The Pacific Electric purchased the original 500-599 series of cars in three separate acquisitions, 1901/1902 (30); 1909 (20) and 1912(50). What is not generally known is that the Pacific Electric acquired five more cars almost identical to these 100 cars in 1918 and 1921.

Car 500 approaching 22nd street (left); the interior of car 500 (right).

The two replica 500s were joined by a third car, that was originally a Pacific Electric car of the 950 class. This car, 1058, was converted by Richard Fellows to run on rubber tires and was a feature around the Southern California area for many years. The Port obtained the car and with the help of some trucks from Japan and some other parts, returned it to rail operation.

Car 500 with Conductor, Jay, just finishing loading passengers.

Car 1058 heading north just south of the 6th street crossing.

So residents of Los Angeles need to get down there and take what may be their final chance to ride before this becomes another "...Thing That Is Not Here Any more...". The line is expected to run until after the Lobster Festival in September 2015 and then shut down after that. The line currently operates from noon to 9:30PM on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. We recommend that you check their web site for those possible "last minute" schedule changes!!

Expo 2 Testing Starts in West Los Angeles!
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The Los Angeles Expo Line (formerly the Santa Monica Air Line) opened from downtown Los Angeles as far west as Expo/LaBrea in April 2012 and then to Culver City (Venice Boulevard) on June 2012.It was the fourth light rail line to be opened in Los Angeles following the Blue Line (1990), Green Line (1995) and Gold Line (2003). Phase 2 of the Expo Line, which gets its name from Exposition Boulevard that parallels the line for much of its operation, will carry the trains to Santa Monica and is scheduled to open in 2016. An extension of the Gold line is in progress and a fourth light rail line, the Crenshaw line, which will link the Expo Line and Green Line to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is currently under construction.

Equipment currently on the Expo and Blue lines consists of 95 cars:

BUILDER	YEARS	CATEGORY	FIRST CAR IN SERIES	LAST CAR IN SERIES	NUMBER OF CARS	NOTES
NipponSharyo	1989-1990	P865	100	153	54	First Electric Railway vehicles in Los Angeles since 1963 (PCCs)
NipponSharyo	1994-1995	P2020	154	168	15	Compatible with P865 but somewhat compatible with P2000
Siemens	1996-1999	P2000*	200 (227)**	250	51 (24)
Siemens	1996-1999	P2000*	301	302	2	Had experimental "driverless" equipment when originally delivered, now removed!

On April 7, 2015, NipponSharyo P865 car 130 was the first car to run through the Culver City Station, cross the Venice Boulevard bridge and venture west toward Santa Monica on the westbound track of the Exposition Line. It would go through the Palms Station, run under the I-10 Freeway in Cheviot Hills and be recorded going as far as Overland Boulevard (just east of the Westwood/Rancho Park Station) before returning to Bagley Ave. This was the first of many clearance checks.

Car 130 just west of the Venice Boulevard Overcrossing westbound (left) 4-7-15, and approaching Bagley Ave. (right).

On May 7, its sister car 126 continued signal testing the line even further west on the westbound track, crossing Overland Boulevard and passing through the Westwood Station, crossing Westwood Boulevard and traversing the Military Avenue Crossing (just east of Expo/Sepulveda Station), which at this time was the end of the powered Overhead Catenary System (OCS). This is the closest an electric railway vehicle has gotten to Santa Monica since the Pacific Electric quit in 1953. The car reached that point about 12:30 PM, changed ends, crossed over to the eastbound track and ran back to Palms. Later in the day, the car came back westbound on the eastbound track. At this point, the first lesson in familiarization of the line took place. The powered portion of the OCS ended right after the Military Avenue crossing but the amount of powered track was much longer on the westbound track than the eastbound track. They learned that lesson the hard way by driving the car too far and shutting down the Overland substation. Once everyone figured out what had happened, the limit of operation was determined and appropriate markers placed as shown in the next photo.

Although 90 minutes of testing time was lost, there is absolutely no reason for anyone to be critical here. This is why there is an extensive testing period. Remember no one is familiar with the line. It has just been turned over to the transit agency by the contractors. These are among the myriad of items that line supervision will have to know during malfunctions and mishaps. Testing resumed and but al operations ceased at 4:30PM when the car was tied down at the Westwood Station.

Car 126 on westbound track west of Military Avenue crossing (left) 5-8-15; Car 126 on eastbound track west of Military crossing (right), 5-8-15.

Testing resumed on Friday at about 9:30AM with the first trip west to Military Avenue on the eastbound track from Westwood station and then reversing direction west of Military Avenue and the first test run over the Military interlock (facing crossover). They had made the first run the previous day on the Westwood Interlock (trailing crossover). Both of these crossovers are located between Westwood Boulevard and Military Avenue and can be seen in the distance in the photo below right.

Car 126 on eastbound track west of Military Avenue crossing (left); Car 126 on eastbound track west of Military crossing (right).

Car 126 on westbound track crossing Westwood Boulevard (left); Car 126 on westbound track in Cheviot Hills (right).

The final trip of the day from Military Avenue to Westwood was made at 4:00 PM and was done almost at normal operating speed on the westbound track. We were amazed again at how quiet these trains are despite their being 25 years old.

Webmaster Remark: Because of the whining of some of the residents from the day this project was announced and the insistence of some of these same people on having an eight foot sound wall, this is all I will get to see of the trains passing from my house on Exposition Boulevard:

Car 126 on westbound track at Veteran Avenue and Exposition Boulevard.

Testing continued while we attended the East Penn Meet. When I returned, on Tuesday morning at 9:00 A.M. I found Siemens SD460 #302, better known here as P2000, west of Military Avenue on the eastbound track getting ready for the days testing. Please note the glass in the upper half of the wall that is placed near all intersections to improve operator visibility. I would not have minded that glass in the wall across the street from my house.

Car 302 West of Military Crossing, 5-19-15!

Car 302 West of Military Crossing, 5-19-15!

Thursday, May 21st was the first time two cars were seen on the line in the same place doing testing. Car 126 was joined by car 107, which is in one of the latest schemes, at the most western point just west of the Military Avenue crossing.

Cars 107 and 126 West of Military Avenue, 5-21-15!

Car 107 approaching Military Avenue, 5-21-15!

These are models of prototype cars that have now become legendary. Despite being called "dinosaurs" by one or two very unenlightened SEPTA officials when these cars were introduced in the early 1980s, these 141 cars hold the distinction of being the only group of modern light rail vehicles with 30 years plus service and every single vehicle still in service. Above left is the model of the City Division single-end vehicle and at right the Red Arrow Division Double ended vehicle. These cars are also reputed to be the last cars designed in-house by a transit agency. They also had a intelligent competent supplier that understood that Philadelphia had some unique conditions that could not be dismissed. Demonstrating the type of camaraderie and respect that model railroad vendors should show to one another, Joe Ogden, asked George Huckaby of Custom Traxx to forward any items that Custom Traxx discovered with these two kits as soon as any issue was discovered. They did find some items and made some recommendations during a very pleasant conversation, unlike some previous experiences. Both models should be painted and operating at the next appearance of the Southern California Traction Club. Trolleyville wishes you Good Luck, Joe, with all your endeavors!

Prior to the show, the Bowser/Custom Traxx team usually has a meeting at Bowser in Montoursville over the Bowser HO scale trolley projects. The trolley project actually started with one of those meetings just prior to the 18th East Penn Meet in 2007. During this meeting, progress on the third car, the SEPTA Bicentennial Trolleys (ex-Kansas City Cars), was noted. The artwork for the cars is almost completed for the Bicentennial Paint schemes in all 13 colonies and the cars in 1954 PTC Green/Cream/Maroon, Toronto Red/Tan/Black, Kansas City Cream/Black/Silver, SEPTA "Gulf Oil" and both San Francisco Muni and SEPTA (ex-Toronto no repaint) (See below left). It was also decided to proceed with plans to produce a fourth car, a ready-to-run version of the 1906 Brill Semi-Convertible based on New Orleans car 453 (See below right). Both of these events were reported at the Custom Traxx/MTS Imports tables.

By the way, if you live on the East Coast and a visit to Arnie's Trains / Milepost 38, discussed earlier in this issue, is a little out of your driving range, you have a fine alternative. Visit English's Model Railroad Supply (EMRRS) in Montoursville, PA and talk to Richard Cox or Vern Trego 570-368-2516 or EMRRS@chilitech.net. EMRRS is not your father's hobby shop either. We walk out of that shop with something(s) every time.

In all, the 22nd East Penn Meet was a great show for those who attended and attendance was in the neighborhood of past events. We do not want to take anything from the members who took a lot of their time to put this show together. But now that the EPTC has moved their show to the venue of one of the major metropolitan Convention Centers, we have some recommendations based on our extensive experience with the Great American Train Show (GATS), the Great Train Expo (GTE) and the current Great Train Show (GTS) along with the World's Greatest Hobby on Tour (WGHoT) and have passed those suggestions to club officials.

While testing goes on the Expo 2 line in West Los Angeles, thirty miles to the northeast, dedication ceremonies for the major maintenance facility for the Gold Line Extension, called the Foothill Gold Line, were held on Saturday morning, May 23, 2015!

A little history on the Gold Line: This is a light rail line that originally built from Union Station in Los Angeles to Sierra Madre Station using largely the former right of way of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe (ATSF) Railroad used until the 1990s. It opened in July 2003. Crybabies in South Pasadena force noise barriers to be constructed between the Mission and Fillmore Station between April 2007 and July 2007. The same folks have stalled the Long Beach Freeway for years. There is no Light Rail vehicle that we are aware of that makes any where near the level of noise than steam and diesel locomotives that used that right of way for decades since 1906.

The line used express limited stop service from February 2006 to December 2007. In November 2009, the EAstside extension was opened, extending the line south and east from Union Station to Monterey Park. This was not the original plan. The Gold Line From Pasadena was originally planned to be part of the Blue Line. However, a "knee jerk" reaction to a methane gas explosion in 1985 led Congressman Henry Waxman to 'ban' subway construction. The ban was not lifted until 2006 but the ability to link the Blue and Gold Lines when they initially opened was lost until the current plans for the Regional Connector are realized. The Gold Line initially used the Siemens P2000 cars but now uses the entire fleet of the AnsaldoBreda P2550 cars.

The Foothill Gold Line Phase 2A project will add five stations and 11.5 miles to the northern end of the line at Sierra Madre Station. These stations are Arcadia, Monrovia, Duarte, Irwindale and Azusa. This phase is expected to open in 2016. The Phase 2B project would add another 12.3 miles and six stations in Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne, Pomona and Claremont. This is not yet funded and once funded will take five years to complete. Most of this will be built on an abandoned ATSF Right-of-way!

Transit operations in the Los Angeles area are under the direction of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA).

This new facility, called the Foothill Gold Line Operations Campus, has been designed to support 84 Light Rail Vehicles. This will be larger than the Blue Line yard, currently the largest on the system and will contain six miles of track. The main 132,000 square foot structure is equipped with solar panel that could provide 1/3 of the power needs for the building. It will also have a storm water management system that will capture up to 112,000 gallons of rainwater. The facility is bounded by East Evergreen Avenue on the North, East Duarte Road on the south, California Avenue to the west and Shamrock Avenue to the east in the city of Monrovia. It even has a plaza at the intersection of Evergreen and California Avenues designed for those who like train watching.

A scale model of the entire facility complete with at least 37 Breda vehicles was on display at the ceremonies. A portion of that model is shown:

Today, peeking out of the car wash facility was car 1003, one of the new KinkiSharyo cars that will be slowly eventually replacing some or all of the older cars on the system. 78 cars were ordered on April 30, 2012 and official Notice-To-Proceed was given in August 2012. The first car, 1001, arrived in October 2014. An additional 97 cars were ordered in 2013, bringing the total to 175. The entire light rail system currently uses the following equipment:

BUILDER	MODEL & YEAR	SERIES	NUMBER OF CARS	LINE(S) IN OPERATION
NipponSharyo, Japan	P865 - 1989-1990	100-153	54	Blue & Expo Lines
NipponSharyo, Japan	P2020 - 1994-1995	154-168	15	Blue & Expo Lines
Siemens, Germany	P2000 - 1996-1999	200-250 & 301, 302	53	Green Line - 200-226 & 243 Blue & Expo Lines 227-250, 301, 302
AnsaldoBreda, Italy	P2550 - 2006-2011	701-750	50	Gold Line
KinkiSharyo, Osaka, Japan	P3010 - 2014 to ?	1001-1175	All Lines	All Lines
TOTAL			172

Above left : KinkiSharyo Car 1003 at Wash Rack. At right: George Huckaby and current LACMTA CEO Phillip Washington discussing the activities of the day. Phillip took the reins of the LACMTA on March 15, 2014.
	Above left: KinkiSharyo Car 1003 showing front end and coupler. Above right: Car 1003 truck with segmented track brake!

There are people talking about extending this line as far east as Ontario, California. We discussed that possibility after the ceremony with the major of that city. We conclude this article with some photos taken inside the maintenance facility during the dedication ceremony

Above left: Dedication Ceremony Crowd with Breda cars 704 and 708 in the background. Above right: Master of Ceremonies, from CBS, mentioning all those who had a part in this facility.