My brother-in-law retired from the railroad after 38 years and I was thinking of making him a shadow box with a Norfolk Southern SD70Ace mounted on a piece of track with ballast and perhaps some scenery, but I’m looking for some ideas. When he first started working for the railroad it was for Penn Central then it was Conrail before ending up as Norfolk Southern. I originally was just going to do one loco, but as I was thinking about it, I wondered which one. I know he really liked working for Conrail more than Norfolk Southern where he had a lot issues of how they did things. He already has a HO Conrail Loco mounted in a display case presented to him from Conrail and I don’t know anything about his time with Penn Central. Norfolk Southern only gave them really cheap watches and pins. Do you think I should do 3 levels with all 3 railroads in N scale or maybe just one Norfolk Southern in HO?
Penn Central might not have been the best of times. I wonder how he recalls those days? He might not want a reminder....
Thanks, you’re probably right in that. I was moving around the country a lot in those days, but I remember my sister being worried about him losing his job whenever I spoke to her on the phone. Maybe since he already has an HO Conrail in a case, I should just do a single Norfolk Southern in HO. I just looked at how much they cost and was surprised at how much they went up since the last time I looked. With the exception of the Penn Central, I already have the rest in N-scale that I could donate.
Or a "thoroughbred" with a horse race on the other side of the fence. Of course, I shouldn't say anything on the subject because I should spend time to finish my winter diorama. >_>
I doubt I could resist the opportunity to have a 3-unit lashup of the heritage locos as the centerpiece. I think even if he wasn't super fond of PC and NS, it would still be something he recognizes and appreciates as part of his career. (unless there was something extenuating like a significant injury or compensation-related lawsuit) Anyway, sounds like a neat project...good luck with it!
How about a modern locomotive and some sort of rolling stock from the predecessors? That captures the history, while maintaining "weight" on the final employer. YMMV.
Thanks, but I don't think there would be many memories of horses in Pittsburgh. LOL Thanks, I also wondered about using rolling stock. It would make it a little long, but if I keep it in N-scale it might work.
I don't think he has any animosity toward any of them and actually I have a feeling he was very proud of working for the railroad. A lash up might be interesting and I have to think about that.
Not that it needs to be said. Trains don't belong on display in community parks, theme parks, museums or on shelves. They should be out running, kicking up their heels uhhh...errr. brake shoes and doing what trains do best. So, what kind of display shelves or diorama are you considering. I do like the idea of a diorama (learning to spell it, is another thing). And, what would you be putting in the display case. Oop's you already covered that. Ok, how about three of the Heritage Locomotives that N&W put out recently. Expensive, in HO but do able. Whatever trips your trigger or captures a memory.
Perhaps a trip to Michaels or a similar store and look at their selection of shadow boxes. Then you could see what ideas will fit in what scale and with what sized box. Sometimes simple is best. Maybe a nice ballasted section of track with a nicely detailed loco and no more than a sky or countryside scene behind it.
That’s kind of what got me thinking about it. I was out of town and stopped in to a Hobby Lobby thinking it was something else that I hear mentioned all the time. Well it didn’t have any model trains but I saw some shadow boxes. There was one in particular that would be nice for a loco or two, but they wanted close to $60 for it. I have a fully equipped wood shop in my garage and I can make a half a dozen for half of that price and make them any size I want. So I decided that not only would I make something for my brother in law, but I’d also make me one for my Athearn Steamers at the same time. They have been in their original box for a couple of years and I would like to at least look at them. Anyway back to my brother-in-law. I was thinking of a red oak box with glass front and glue a photo of a Pittsburgh Maintenance yard in the back ground with code 55 track and ballast. I don’t know exactly how I’m going to fasten the loco to the tracks without damaging it, but I may have to make a cradle just small enough so that it will be out of view and strong enough to support it during shipping. That’s another story and I may have to just have the box be able to open and the loco slide in onto the tracks after it is hung on the wall. My brother-in-law is into O-scale and I can’t afford to mount an O scale Loco for him. I do have enough N-scale stuff already that I can give him even though he can't run it.
I would make a display with all 3 engines, no matter what he may have thought of any of the particular railroads when he worked for them. I think at this point in his life, it's more important for the display to tell the story of his career. The display is a tribute to his life and I think he will love it showing the complete "career path" regardless of whether he didn't particularly like one of the companies.
Umm! Thanks and well said. Actually I think the shape of the box itself would look better with 3 locos stacked instead of long low box. Then I could maybe do an 8”x11” box with N-scale Locos. I don’t know what the dimensions are for HO locos because I don’t have anything in HO. I just looked on eBay and found a N-scale Penn Central E8 for sale, but I’m not sure if it would be right with just an A unit. I’m not familiar with what was running back then so I don’t know if there would be a better choice.
I think the idea of 3 locos stacked sounds very cool. Maybe choose something from the approx. time frame he was at each railroad. It will be a nice tribute to his railroad career. And a hand built display from you would be very special. Be sure to show us a picture when you are finished.
He started with Penn Central around 1975 in downtown Pittsburgh, so what would he be seeing in that time period before Conrail?
I made this case a few weeks ago to display my off-layout motive power. Pretty simple and straight forward http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine...heap-easy-display-case&highlight=display+case
In response to DrMB. You are so right. No we don't need, no stinking scrap heap. More then likely they will flatten and melt them down, now days. We want them restored. Yes uhh...errr...No? Sorry, I can't solve how to handle that financially.
Thanks, I really need to make one of those myself. I currently have everything in plastic storage boxes with rubber drawer liner in the bottom and I have 12 of them so it’s a pain in the neck to find anything.
