Model Railroading > Onondaga Cutoff and I-481

Over the past few weeks I made time to finish the installation of the interstate highway scene that had been mounted on the HO scale Conrail Onondaga Cutoff last year. Once the backdrops were in place, this scene came together quickly, and this process included the finishing touches to blend it into the surrounding foliage.

NY State DOT standard highway railings were installed, and then the road and signs were masked off for addition of shoulder gravel and static grass, which do a neat job of representing the standard grassy growth along highways in Central New York. I added various small boulders, weeds, some wildflowers, and some rough shrub growth along the median as well, and extended the grass growth west up the hill towards CP 277.

1. The completed highway scene, looking 'north' along I-481.

2. A broad side view showing my teenage vehicle (the 1989 Dodge Caravan) and my brother's (1984 Chevy Caprice) passing while chasing trains.

3. Train BUSE coming down hill with three of the big Dash-7's - standard Albany Division power from the mid-1990's.

Enjoy!
~RGDave
http://onondagacutoff.blogspot.com/



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/28/17 11:24 by RGDave.

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OMG, that Caravan with the faux wood siding is incredible! Hah!

- Jeff Carlson

Looks really great.  Nice job on the road and scenery!

John Parker
Longmont, CO
BNSF Fall River Division

Now all you need is some rusted cars from all the salt used during the many "Lake Effect" snow events!

What a great looking highway.
JB

nice job looks great

I like the rooftop antenna on your railfan vehicle !!! Is it a magnet mount or permanent ? If magnetic then you need a small piece of paper underneath it to prevent scratching the paint !!! That brings back memories ! --- Ken

Nice job. Thanks for posting the updates.

Interesting 'Blog'. The format seems to work out for a number of other Layout builders. Checking through a few of them, is there any info or photos on the Paper Mill buildings?

You've got that New York-design guardrail down pretty well! Great scene.

One nitpick if you want hyper-accuracy, though: most, if not all, "Speed Limit 55" signs in New York read:

STATE
SPEED
LIMIT
55

It's a unique-to-New York feature. I don't know if anyone produces such signs with "STATE" in the first line commercially for modeling, though.

toledopatch Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You've got that New York-design guardrail down
> pretty well! Great scene.
>
> One nitpick if you want hyper-accuracy, though:
> most, if not all, "Speed Limit 55" signs in New
> York read:
>
> STATE
> SPEED
> LIMIT
> 55
>
> It's a unique-to-New York feature. I don't know if
> anyone produces such signs with "STATE" in the
> first line commercially for modeling, though.

I was in NY State until 2009 and I recall they raised the speed limit to 65 mph. I just googled and it was 1995 when it was raised. I'm not sure when RGDave's year is however.

Pennsylvania held out for a number of years longer. Their signs used to say Speed Limit Still 55 to rub it in.

Cheers, Jim Fitch



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/25/17 15:07 by SPDRGWfan.

SPDRGWfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> toledopatch Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > You've got that New York-design guardrail down
> > pretty well! Great scene.
> >
> > One nitpick if you want hyper-accuracy, though:
> > most, if not all, "Speed Limit 55" signs in New
> > York read:
> >
> > STATE
> > SPEED
> > LIMIT
> > 55
> >
> > It's a unique-to-New York feature. I don't know
> if
> > anyone produces such signs with "STATE" in the
> > first line commercially for modeling, though.
>
> I was in NY State until 2009 and I recall they
> raised the speed limit to 65 mph. I just googled
> and it was 1995 when it was raised. I'm not sure
> when RGDave's year is however.

Yes, 65 has been the prevailing speed limit on controlled-access highways for several decades in New York state, although in urban areas it drops to 55 on many such roadways. I don't when (or if) the speed limit was raised on I-481 on the east side of Syracuse, but if it was 55 during RGDave's 'era', then the "State Speed Limit" version of that sign would be correct. New York still uses that distinctive on state highways with 55-mph limits, including freeways and/or Thruway sections where it applies.

I looked through my digital pictures from New York and cannot find a shot of the State Speed Limit signs like Patch is talking about. I know exactly what he is talking about though. I have seen the regular Speed Limit signs in New York as well so it may a location specific thing or maybe something that is being phased out. The highway railings are also a New York specific thing and I saw those in the pictures I looked at. I-481, like the rest of the layout looks good. I feel like I am there.

Jim

Google has images of them. North Hempstead has one that reads "Town Speed Limit". Sort of the opposite of Oregon that just says "Speed".

pmack Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Google has images of them. North Hempstead has
> one that reads "Town Speed Limit". Sort of the
> opposite of Oregon that just says "Speed".

There also are "City Speed Limit" and "Village Speed Limit" signs used in New York state.

Good catch, Patch, and good discussion.

My understanding was - and please correct me if I'm wrong - that the 'State' speed limit on interstates was only something that came into being after the Feds raised theirs to 65. Before that, interstate speeds were federally set at 55, and 'state' as far as I remember wasn't on the signs.

Therefore I *think* for 1994 that the sign is correct as is, without the 'state' word. I am familiar with the 'village' and 'city' modifiers too. Neat detail that sets the locale.

That said this is an easy change and one I'll make if I'm wrong.

Thanks!
~RGDave

Posted from iPhone

RGDave Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Good catch, Patch, and good discussion.
>
> My understanding was - and please correct me if
> I'm wrong - that the 'State' speed limit on
> interstates was only something that came into
> being after the Feds raised theirs to 65. Before
> that, interstate speeds were federally set at 55,
> and 'state' as far as I remember wasn't on the
> signs.
>
> Therefore I *think* for 1994 that the sign is
> correct as is, without the 'state' word. I am
> familiar with the 'village' and 'city' modifiers
> too. Neat detail that sets the locale.
>
> That said this is an easy change and one I'll make
> if I'm wrong.
>
> Thanks!
> ~RGDave

The "State Speed Limit" signs long predate the 1995 repeal of the federal 55, which by then only applied to "urban areas". I remember seeing them growing up in Westchester County in the 1970s, and also going to college in upstate New York during the mid-1980s. If anything, they started appearing along Interstates when the federal regulation was imposed during the Arab Oil Embargo, but they might be older than that.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/26/17 12:46 by toledopatch.

Love those GEs! Your layout is kicking ass.

Posted from Android

toledopatch Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> RGDave Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Good catch, Patch, and good discussion.
> >
> > My understanding was - and please correct me if
> > I'm wrong - that the 'State' speed limit on
> > interstates was only something that came into
> > being after the Feds raised theirs to 65.
> Before
> > that, interstate speeds were federally set at
> 55,
> > and 'state' as far as I remember wasn't on the
> > signs.
> >
> > Therefore I *think* for 1994 that the sign is
> > correct as is, without the 'state' word. I am
> > familiar with the 'village' and 'city'
> modifiers
> > too. Neat detail that sets the locale.
> >
> > That said this is an easy change and one I'll
> make
> > if I'm wrong.
> >
> > Thanks!
> > ~RGDave
>
> The "State Speed Limit" signs long predate the
> 1995 repeal of the federal 55, which by then only
> applied to "urban areas". I remember seeing them
> growing up in Westchester County in the 1970s, and
> also going to college in upstate New York during
> the mid-1980s. If anything, they started appearing
> along Interstates when the federal regulation was
> imposed during the Arab Oil Embargo, but they
> might be older than that.

In 1987 the Federal Government gave the states the option of setting the speed limit at either 55 or 65.  There still was a "Federal Speed Limit" however.  in 1995, the government repealed the Federal Speed Limit and the reality is, they have all been "State Speed Limits" since.

NYSWSD70M Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> toledopatch Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > RGDave Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Good catch, Patch, and good discussion.
> > >
> > > My understanding was - and please correct me
> if
> > > I'm wrong - that the 'State' speed limit on
> > > interstates was only something that came into
> > > being after the Feds raised theirs to 65.
> > Before
> > > that, interstate speeds were federally set at
> > 55,
> > > and 'state' as far as I remember wasn't on
> the
> > > signs.
> > >
> > > Therefore I *think* for 1994 that the sign is
> > > correct as is, without the 'state' word. I am
> > > familiar with the 'village' and 'city'
> > modifiers
> > > too. Neat detail that sets the locale.
> > >
> > > That said this is an easy change and one I'll
> > make
> > > if I'm wrong.
> > >
> > > Thanks!
> > > ~RGDave
> >
> > The "State Speed Limit" signs long predate the
> > 1995 repeal of the federal 55, which by then
> only
> > applied to "urban areas". I remember seeing
> them
> > growing up in Westchester County in the 1970s,
> and
> > also going to college in upstate New York
> during
> > the mid-1980s. If anything, they started
> appearing
> > along Interstates when the federal regulation
> was
> > imposed during the Arab Oil Embargo, but they
> > might be older than that.
>
> In 1987 the Federal Government gave the states the
> option of setting the speed limit at either 55 or
> 65.  There still was a "Federal Speed Limit"
> however.  in 1995, the government repealed the
> Federal Speed Limit and the reality is, they have
> all been "State Speed Limits" since.

Understood, but New York is the only state where I can recall seeing signs that specify "State Speed Limit." And that's the point: the signs are distinctive.

toledopatch Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> NYSWSD70M Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > toledopatch Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > RGDave Wrote:
> > >
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> >
> > > -----
> > > > Good catch, Patch, and good discussion.
> > > >
> > > > My understanding was - and please correct
> me
> > if
> > > > I'm wrong - that the 'State' speed limit on
> > > > interstates was only something that came
> into
> > > > being after the Feds raised theirs to 65.
> > > Before
> > > > that, interstate speeds were federally set
> at
> > > 55,
> > > > and 'state' as far as I remember wasn't on
> > the
> > > > signs.
> > > >
> > > > Therefore I *think* for 1994 that the sign
> is
> > > > correct as is, without the 'state' word. I
> am
> > > > familiar with the 'village' and 'city'
> > > modifiers
> > > > too. Neat detail that sets the locale.
> > > >
> > > > That said this is an easy change and one
> I'll
> > > make
> > > > if I'm wrong.
> > > >
> > > > Thanks!
> > > > ~RGDave
> > >
> > > The "State Speed Limit" signs long predate
> the
> > > 1995 repeal of the federal 55, which by then
> > only
> > > applied to "urban areas". I remember seeing
> > them
> > > growing up in Westchester County in the
> 1970s,
> > and
> > > also going to college in upstate New York
> > during
> > > the mid-1980s. If anything, they started
> > appearing
> > > along Interstates when the federal regulation
> > was
> > > imposed during the Arab Oil Embargo, but they
> > > might be older than that.
> >
> > In 1987 the Federal Government gave the states
> the
> > option of setting the speed limit at either 55
> or
> > 65.  There still was a "Federal Speed Limit"
> > however.  in 1995, the government repealed the
> > Federal Speed Limit and the reality is, they
> have
> > all been "State Speed Limits" since.
>
> Understood, but New York is the only state where I
> can recall seeing signs that specify "State Speed
> Limit." And that's the point: the signs are
> distinctive.

Maybe but you cite the repeal of the "Federal 55" in your post. 1995 was the year that the Feds got out of the speed limit 'business". To your point, NY signs said State Speed Limit even when they really had no choice.

Posted from Android