Classic Train Columnist & NYCSHS Member
Read this blog about the four “Know Thy” books by NYCSHS Director, Tom Gerbracht
The New York Central System Historical Society announces the another book of the Central’s steam power triumvirate. This hard cover book completes the documentation of the New York Central’s Mohawk class, the L-3 and L-4 Mohawks.
The book describes and illustrates the original late Mohawk design, and the evolution of the basic design that resulted in the L-4 Mohawk, perhaps the best dual service two-cylinder steam locomotive design ever developed. Included is a separate section on late Mohawk tenders, one of the secrets of the Mohawk’s success. Oddities are identified, and the final days of late Mohawk operation are also fully documented, including last runs. The late Mohawk design is compared with contemporary steam designs used by other railroads in the Central’s service area.
Interview for PBS Cleveland, Ohio TV station WVIZ for a web interview
on train watching in Berea, Ohio.
The Berea Union Depot was established in 1876 to provide passenger and freight service for the city’s growing sandstone-based economy. It was home to one of the largest sandstone quarries in the world. Rail service was key to shipping it and other materials.
“Lumber, steel, coal, coke, grain, there was a ton of stuff that was shipped all over the country. It used to go by steam ship, but it was a lot more economical to send it by train than on a boat,” Kurilec said.
In 1958, the depot ceased operations, and the building was sold in 1980. Today it’s the Berea Depot Restaurant. Railfans park at the far end of one of its two parking lots peering down the tracks and listening for horns signaling the approach of the next train. Train watching isn’t an expensive hobby. Some simply sit and watch, while others invest in binoculars, cameras, notepads and scanners.
“They get railroad frequencies, so you can know what’s happening any special movement that’s going to be happening,” Kurilec said.
“Some of the guys record the train number and the direction. Some of the young kids are taking video. Now that may not seem important, but when those diesels are gone 20 years from now and there’s something else, it’s like the steam engine, it’s very important to document this stuff historically,” he said.
Watch the whole video and listen to Joe explain about why watching trains is so fascinating to so many people. Learn a little NYCS history as well.
Blue Chip Casino is the closest rooms to the library, about 1/4 mile, its right downtown with excellent views of Lake Michigan, but its the most expensive room in town. Other hotels are 3.5/4 miles away on the south end of town off the expressway. Luckily all of these are right off the main north/south street in town. Heading north on Franklin St (US421) you will run into the library. Franklin St used to go all the way to the lake, but in the 60’s downtown redevelopment, closed Franklin St at 4th St. and the library built. If you kept driving north on Franklin, you would drive right into the front door of the library.
Hoiday Inn Express, 401 W Kieffer Road, Michigan City, IN, 219-243-8300
Quality Inn, 3801 Frontage Road, Michigan City, IN, 463-213-2998
Comfort Suites, 100 Kieffer Road, Michigan City, IN, 219-210-4384,
Baymount, 4128 South Franklin Street, Michigan City, IN, 219-210-4384
Micro Inn & Suites by Wyndham, 9834 W 400 N., Michigan City, In, 219-210-3430
Hampton Inn, 3674 Frontage Rd, Michigan City, IN, 219-814-4164
Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, 3805 Frontage Rd, Michigan City, IN, 219-879-3600
The NYCSHS does not take any responsibility for the quality of these hotels. We are only listing some in the area for your convenience. This listing does not mean they we endorse these hotels over any other in the area. Hotel selection is up to the individual attendee.
The cover photo for this quarter’s edition is from Noel Widdifield, “The Inevitable Day.” Stan Madyda shows us his modeling skills in “Stan’s Promise of Things to Come.” Tom Long returns with “NYCS Passenger Cars in N-Scale.” Rich Stoving shares his layout building in “Scenicking Spurious Tunnel.” Ed Enyedy shows us what might have been at the 2020 convention in “It Was a 2020 Convention Layout.” Bob Shaw tells us about “Rerouting My Water Level Route #2.” Seth Lakin reports on “Modifying N Scale Architect’s NYC Lines West Station.” Steve Lasher recounts “Bringing Up Baby (Face).” And you also get all of the regular features with “NYCSHS RPO,” “NYCSHS Models” featuring photos from our members, “Extra Board,” “What’s New,” “The RPO,” and “The Observation Car.” All in the July 2020 edition.
This online NYCSHS magazine is available quarterly on the NYCS website. Each edition contains five to seven articles covering different scales of NYCS modeling, a section reviewing all new NYCS models being offered by manufacturers for the quarter, letters and emails from members and readers, the latest news on models being offered by the NYCSHS at 20% discounts, and a variety of other information about modeling and happenings at the NYCSHS.
If you haven’t been reading this NYCSHS magazine, you have been missing out on a lot of NYCS action. Each edition contains five to seven articles covering different scales of NYCS modeling, a section reviewing all new NYCS models being offered by manufacturers for the quarter, letters and emails from members and readers, the latest news on models being offered by the NYCSHS at 20% discounts, and a variety of other information about modeling and happenings at the NYCSHS.
The magazine is free, and all you need to do to read or download it is to go to the NYCSHS website. To do that, go to www.NYCSHS.org. Then put your curser on the “Modeling Resources” button and drop down to the “NYCentral Modeler” tab. Then just follow the instruction on the page. ENJOY!!
Publishing this magazine continues to be a major challenge each quarter as I receive very few articles for publication. I spend as much time trying to find modelers to write articles as I do focused on the publishing of the magazine. In our recent NYCSHS Modelers Survey, we received over 600 responses to the survey indicating that the respondents modeled the NYCS. If you model the NYC, please contact me to let me help you display your modeling to the rest of the readers. Writing an article is not very hard and we can help you do it. Without article contributions, we cannot publish the magazine. We really need your help with this, if you enjoy reading the NYCentral Modeler each quarter. Take a couple of minutes and send me an email and let us help you display your modeling or collecting talent to our readers. Contact me at: NYCSHS@verizon.net
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