Check it out!

While I'm not sure if Dr. Steve Brule likes model railroading or not, but today I'd like to make reference to some great new blogs I've added to the blog roll last week, since there's been nothing doing on the layout front lately (gee, shocker there!)

I've always had a interest in the New Haven RR (is it because the NH was such an important interchange partner for the LV in New York Harbor? I dunno....), but please take the time to check out these great NH-themed layout blogs ( + two other non-New Haven ones!).....

Randy Hammill's New Britain Station blog at - http://blog.newbritainstation.com/

Randy is modeling New Britain, CT on the New Haven's Highland Line in the Transition Era, and is focusing on pretty much one town for the entire layout, which is a cool concept, one that I myself had thought about doing years ago when I was new to the hobby.

Chris Adams' Valley Local blog at - http://blog.thevalleylocal.net/

Chris is modeling the New Haven's Connecticut Valley Line in 1947, and along with Randy, is doing some DAMN fine modeling! Watching the build/shakedown/troubleshoot process that Chris shares is good stuff!

Joe Smith's Signal Station 199 at - http://signalstation199.blogspot.com/

Joe has chosen to model the Berkshire Line of the New Haven, and in his latest blog post, he shows us how he kitbashed (or scratchbuilt, depending on how you look at it), the NH's interesting and rare GE DEY-2 switcher! (Do I REALLY need to say, "Check it out"?)

So, I mentioned there were two non-New Haven-themed layout blogs, didn't I?............

First up is Matthieu Lachance of Quebec who is doing a model of the Erie's 149th St Bronx terminal at -
http://harlem-station.blogspot.com/

It's worth following, if for no other reason that because it proves you can have a lot of action in a small space, even if the prototype track design is boring. (C'mon, you have to admit it is, but it's still cool!)....Looking back, I actually wish I had realized that "simple (or small) can be cool" when I started my layout.....

And finally (save the best for last?), while it's not NH-themed, I just HAVE to make mention my good friend Dave Abeles' 1994 era Conrail Onondaga Cutoff layout at - http://onondagacutoff.blogspot.com/

Dave is an all-around a good guy, a good musician, and he puts up with this old guy at his ops sessions, so his blog is worth the time to visit, LOL! His layout is proto-freelanced, meaning that while the line he chose to model never really existed (an ex-NYC bypass line around Syracuse, NY), but all the trains and equipment are spot on for Conrail on the Chicago Line in 1994. My prediction is you'll be seeing this  layout in the mainstream hobby press in a year or two.....

So that's all for now, but keep on checking in, you never know what might happen!

Ralph