Model Railroading > Happy July 4th from SCL 1776.

Here's the 1st Bi-Centenial engine that started a great number of Bi-Centenial paint schemes, SCL painted for the 200th birthday of the USA.

Stanley Jackowski
Valrico, FL

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I always will have fond memories of this locomotive.  I started driving in 1976 and would chase early Conrail trains North from Sharon Yard in Sharonville OH to Dayton.

They had an 'Armco' turn that would service the Armco mill in Middletown OH.  One day I saw an outbound turn leaving Sharon with this unit in the 2nd position.  In those days, you went by new from the 'Diesel Spotter's Guide' or Trains magazine.

I drove toward Middletown OH in hopes of getting a 35mm slide and caught the train 'laying back' at Todhunter Rd, just South (railroad West) of the electrically-locked mainline switch into Reed's Yard, the support yard for Armco.

I hopped out of my car by the crossing and waited for them to move.  The 'head man' noticed me standing there and hung out of the Fireman's side window of the leading GP38 and started waving, yelling "Look! Look!" and pointing back at the 1776!

Ad from August 1972 Railroad Model Craftsman
By Christmas of that year, you could buy one discount at Woolworth's.

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I bought my first two AHM U25C's at Woolworth....then one at Two Guys....my very first HO locomotives.

My first two freight card were 50 foot Athearn boxcars in NYC jade green with black ends and roof (still have the U25C's and the NYC box ), and Burlington red. All in 1972 - at Nash's Hobby Shop on Congress St in Troy NY - my home town where the Woolworth was located a few blocks away from Nash's on Third St (or River? )

There was a big Lionel dealer there - French's Hobby Shop, and a Two Guys store in Menands just SW of Troy easily reachable by United Traction Co. bus from across the street from Frears Department Store - also a big Lionel seller.

Until 1985 we had a nice station in Troy that served the NYC, B&M, D & H and Rutland. My Dad worked out of there. There was plenty of track for a kid to explore all over Troy...plus the Republic Steel blast furnace and Bessemer Converters in South Troy and their yard....the Troy station was legendary as being able to be easily modeled in full size, in HO - it was very short with 6 tracks...and a run-through double ended design. Each end had an elevated tower that straddled the tracks...there was a wye between the NYC, D&H and B&M.....quite a nice modeling inspiration. Southbound there was a two city block long tunnel on the 2 track mainline - westbound a large vertical lift bridge over the Hudson that carried the D&H, and northbound the B&M yard and turntable...Rutland trains came in via Chatham, NY and later over the B&M.


http://nebwrailroad.com/index.php/NEB%26W_Guide_to_Troy,_NY_-_Fourth_Union_Depot,_1900-1958

Bob