Model Railroading > End of the line

One of the longest lasting model railroads in eastern Pennsylvania, Doug Kley's Lehigh Valley, has about reached the end of the line after 31 years in operation. The multi-level HO railroad, set in the early 1970s, modeled the LV main line between Easton and Laurel Run, PA, the Reading between Bethlehem and Alburtis, PA, and a short piece of the former Lehigh & New England around Allentown. Construction started in 1983, and the first operating session was held in 1986. Sessions continued twice a month for many years before switching to once a month some time in the 1990s. Eventually Doug developed serious health problems, and the last regular LV session was in February 2016. Doug passed away earlier this year, and the railroad was dormant for months until the operating group, led by Doug's son Steve, who helped his dad build the railroad and get it running in the 1980s, got together to run the railroad gain on September 23, 2017. It was a tribute to how well the railroad was built that very few problems came up during that session.

Doug never converted to DCC, running trains with block control and home-built walk-around DC transistor handsets. The railroad was fully signaled, and as long as the dispatcher, "Steel" tower operator, and Allentown yardmaster did their jobs, cases of "who's got my train?" rarely occurred. When I lived in eastern PA and was a member of the operating crew, I spent many enjoyable Friday nights at Doug's, usually working as operator at "Steel" Tower in Bethlehem. The LV was quite a model railroad, a classic example of one designed for prototypical operation. Attached are some photos from the September session, taken by Ken McCorry, one of the LV regulars from the beginning. Tentative plans are to have one last session before the Christmas holidays, then at a later date the railroad will finally be dismantled.

Photo 1: Lower level - Reading main line near Macungie, PA, middle level - Allentown Yard (with working hump), upper level - LV main line around Crestwood.
Photo 2: Packerton Yard at Lehighton, looking west
Photo 3: Lower level - Bethlehem engine terminal and "Steel" tower, middle level - LV main line between Treichlers and Lehighton, upper level - White Haven

Two additional pics to follow.

Bob Davis
Thayne, WY

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Bob, thank you for posting.

Looks like Doug had quite a remarkable layout. I would say that he had a vision and executed it well.

Nice prototype and era to choose, too!

Photo 4: "Steel" tower operator's desk and model board
Photo 5: Lehighton, PA (left), LV main west to Crestwood (right top), Allentown Yard looking west (lower)

Bob

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Man what a beautiful layout. It looks like it was an enjoyable layout to operate and I am sure that many people will have great memories of it. I hope most of the rolling stock will find homes and continue to ride the rails!

What a gorgeous layout. Sorry to see it go but glad that you posted about it.

Can I suggest more photos before it goes? Video perhaps?

Rick

Masterful work .... what is to become of it?

Regards,
Burlington John

At this point, disposition of Doug's rolling stock hasn't been finalized, but I have the feeling that most of it will find good homes. And yes, the LV was a neat railroad to operate. Most of the motive power was equipped with Hobbytown drives, and those things can pull walls down! There were some pretty stiff grades on the LV main line, just like the prototype, and a set of three Hobbytown-equipped Alcos could take a 25-30 car freight up those grades without breaking a sweat.

I think one of the funniest things that I ever saw on the railroad was the night that one of the operators tried to move a train out of one of the hidden staging yards, but even with three powerful diesel units, the train wouldn't budge, just sat there spinning its wheels. The operator took a look in that yard, then hollered "there's a (expletive deleted) CAT in there!" It turned out that the family cat, who spooked easily at the sight of people she didn't know, had heard guys coming down the stairs for the session and decided to hole up out of sight in the staging yard. The train had eased up against her and she froze and wouldn't move - a total feline road block!

Bob

Yup I remember the cat bumper night !! The era modeled started out at 1972 when the CNJ pulled out of Pa and the LV took over Allentown yard and the Pa CNJ operations. It slowly moved up to 74-75 to include the U-23B's and GP-38 units. Doug built the drives and Steve ( his son ) did the body/detail and paint work. One really nice thing about Doug and Steve's motive power is that with the gearing his Hobbytowns had and the slower speed motors you could actually use run 8 and not be doing 100 mph. Most units would top out at maybe 45-50 mph so you had total use of the speed range of the unit. I will miss the Friday night sessions and the pre session crew talks !! ---- Ken the Light side operator at Allentown Yard !



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/12/17 14:28 by Kemacprr.

Looks like a great layout and great memories. Thanks for sharing. Over the next few years, I hope to model some of these same locations albeit 20 years later (1994) in the Conrail era!