[PRCo] Re: Western Pa. Model Railroad Museum

Sat Mar 8 19:43:30 EST 2008

The trolleys operate, as seen in one of the low-res photos I sent -note the 
photo of the blurred PCC at the P&LE side of the Smithfield St. Bridge (I 
was using my phone-cam). I believe that the trolleys are 2-rail powered (no 
catenary).

Because of the space needed to model a large downtown area, some of the 
structures in the model have been compressed.  For example, the Wabash RR 
bridge is closer to the Smithfield St. Bridge in the model than it was in 
real life.

The layout also had to make some concessions to showing both accurate models 
and having an operating layout. For example, the railroad tracks heading 
northbound off the Wabash bridge are part of the museum's mainline, and it 
runs along the north side of the B&O station - in 1952 there were no 
railroad tracks in that area...just  Ft. Pitt Blvd.

It has been five years since I visited the museum and took those phone-cam 
photos.  Changes noted in the current layout include the trolleys now 
running on Ft. Pitt Blvd. west of Smithfield St., and details added to the 
trolley canopy at the P&LE Station.  The museum had plans to build an 
operating model of the Monongahela Incline - I'm not sure if this has been 
done yet. However, I believe that the West Penn Rys. area of the section of 
the layout at Connellsville have been completed.

I first visited the museum on a trip to Pittsburgh in the mid-1990's.  I was 
impressed with their objective to model the protype scenes as accurately as 
possible while having a 2- and 3-track operating model railroad.  When you 
enter the second floor room, you don't see a giant, flat 40'X100' layout. 
The visitor walks through aisles that snake through the layout, allowing you 
to see  specific segments of the territory between Pittsburgh and Cumberland 
as trains and trolleys run by. And, on the walls behind you are old  photos 
of the prototype scenes that the model depicts at that location.

I've got to re-visit the museum on my next trip to Pittsburgh.

Bob 3/8/08
-----------------------------
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Phillip Clark Campbell" <pcc_sr at yahoo.com>
To: <pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org>
Sent: Saturday, March 08, 2008 5:44 PM
Subject: [PRCo] Re: Western Pa. Model Railroad Museum

> Mr.Rathke - Don't remember seeing this in the archives do I but then it is 
> a very tedious process and I may have overlooked your email.
> http://www.wpmrm.org/lrg_images/pittsburgh1.jpg  --  excellent detail of 
> tracks on the bridge; even plates to catch oil drippings between rails are 
> there aren't they!  That 10 or 11 series PCC in the distance looks very 
> real doesn't it.  Mighty rough road on the bridge but that's ok for cars.
>
> http://www.wpmrm.org/Galleries/Pittsburgh/images/DSC01689.JPG  --  the 
> track centers look very prototypical.  Do trolleys operate?  Must be 
> 2-rail if they do.
>
> http://www.wpmrm.org/Galleries/Pittsburgh/images/pgh4.jpg  --  this is 
> excellent effect isn't it.
>
>
>
> Phil
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----
> From: Bob Rathke <bobrathke at comcast.net>
> To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
> Sent: Saturday, March 8, 2008 2:53:33 PM
> Subject: [PRCo] Western Pa. Model Railroad Museum
>
> We discussed this on the list a couple of years ago: the W. Pa. Model
> Railroad Museum just off Route 8 in Gibsonia, PA has a 100'X40' HO layout
> that models the railroad lines from Pittsburgh to Cumberland, and features
> detailed models of several towns in between.  The Pittsburgh end of the
> layout has models of the P&LE and old B&O (Smithfield St.) stations, an
> operating trolley on the Smithfield St. Bridge and into the Mt. Washington
> Tunnel, the Wabash RR tunnel and bridge, and the J&L mill on 2nd Avenue. 
> The
> Connellsville section of the layout features West Penn Rys. trolleys.
> Attached are three low-res photos I took there in 2003.  Note the PRC
> trolleys operating on Smithfield St. and the bridge at the P&LE station 
> The
> other photo is of the old B&O station that was torn down in 1957.
>
> The museum website is at www.wpmrm.org  Take the "Virtual Tour" which
> includes a video shot from an HO locomotive crossing the Wasbash RR 
> Bridge.
> The "Virtual Tour" page also has a couple of videos of protoype Pittsburgh
> trolleys - one shot from the back window of a PCC on the light rail line,
> and another of the "T".
>
> The big HO layout is on the second floor of the building - there's more to
> see on the first floor.
>
> Bob 3/8/08
>
> -----------------------------
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Phillip Clark Campbell" <pcc_sr at yahoo.com>
> To: <pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org>
> Sent: Saturday, March 08, 2008 3:52 PM
> Subject: [PRCo] Re: N Scale Pittsburgh Module
>
>
>> Thank you Mr.Robb.  The P&LE station does look great doesn't it.  It is
>> true that the bridge ramps are wrong but with the model is most often a
>> depiction of the character and not a replica.  Emphasis is on mainline
>> railroading and other items are included for effect and have to be
>> modified to fit the available space don't they.  From the perspective of 
>> a
>> trolley fan it is an unforgivable sin to omit trolley tracks from the
>> bridge but I understand their decision.
>> Phil
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----
>> From: Bill Robb <bill937ca at yahoo.ca>
>> To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
>> Sent: Saturday, March 8, 2008 10:20:56 AM
>> Subject: [PRCo] Re: N Scale Pittsburgh Module
>>
>> Yes, here are the photos the builder of the module posted.
>>
>> Bill
>>
>> Mr.Robb!    It says I must join the community to view, doesn't it.  Do 
>> you
>> have photos to post?  I am not interested in Joining.
>> Phil
>>
>>
>>
>> This is a little bit off topic, but there are a couple of Pittsburgh
>> landmarks in this N scale module but unfortunately no streetcars. The 
>> P&LE
>> station was created with 2 DPM Hilltowne Hotels and styrene.
>> http://forum.zealot.com/t156906/
>>
>> Bill
>>
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