[GreenKeys] OT: Rail Road stuff

[Bob McConnell]

Jeffrey D Angus wrote:
> Apparently I brought a smile to a few faces when I mentioned the 
> Wather's catalog.
> And I got a few inquiries as to whether or not I was into model 
> railroading.

I hope nobody gets too upset about these marginally off topic posts.

My first train was an American Flier S-scale set I got when I was seven. 
Later on while I was in college, I set up a small HO set in the attic on 
a 4x8 sheet of homasote painted green. But after I left for the Navy 
(and Vietnam) my brothers took care of that. There was nothing left when 
I got back.

But a few years ago, when my wife finally dragged me to see a therapist 
for PTSD, he suggested I needed some hobbies for stress relief. So with 
my wife's blessing I have been collecting HO cars again. I also had to 
set up an N scale set of Lehigh Valley vintage for her. Our youngest 
grandson has begun to share our love for trains, so it has become a way 
for us to spend some quality time with him.

There is also a train club up near Waterloo NY with a large (12 acres) 
layout of 1 1/2" scale, 7 3/4" gauge trains. They have an open house and 
offer free rides on them two weekends a year. Those are great for the 
kids, but gramma and grampa enjoy riding with them a whole lot. I have 
looked around the web and found a number of these "live steamer" clubs. 
We tried to get to the one in Phoenix one year when we went to visit my 
wife's family, but got there after they had closed for the summer.

But to bring this back to the real topic, I have always wondered what 
part the teletype played in managing the railways, particularly the 
Pennsylvania RR. Does anyone have information on the types of messages, 
formats or protocols they used?

Oh yeah, I also managed to collect a scroll saw, two wood lathes, drill 
press, band saw and other assorted woodworking utensils. Now I just need 
room to assemble a workshop for them. I have patterns for some wooden 
railroad cars and locomotives, ala Brio and Tommy Tank Engine. When I 
get the room, I have some toys to make.

Bob McConnell
N2SPP