SNE Wiggle Worm

Over the years I've had folks who model a later era that I've never really modeled ask what the lettering for my Southern New England would have looked like post-1961. 

A few months back, Bernie Kempinski and Otto Vondrak worked with me to develop the initial concepts for a “new image” SNE “wiggly worm” logo. The graphic challenge was how does one “link” the letters “S,” “N”, and “E” - try it - it’s not as easy as linking two letters like “CN” or even “CV.”
The answer lay in the approach the DWP took - the graphic designers for CN way back in 1961 obviously had the same issue linking the letters together. The solution was to not even bother trying!
I have to give Mike C credit for suggesting the DWP possibility - and all the credit (or blame if you don’t like it) for the logo goes to Otto. 
Thanks to all, here, for the first time, is a poor color rendering of what this scheme might look like on one of the SNE’s GP9s after repainting in the North Providence shops in 1965….

Appreciate any and all thoughts - 

Here's a version of the lettering scheme in the later green/yellow:

What If?

With all the neat new stuff coming out in what one friend of mine described once as "designer plastic" - especially in HO scale - it's easy to feel like a kid in a candy store.

Impulse buying is not necessarily a bad thing - after all this is a hobby and as long as you're not taking food away from the table for indulges like model railroading no harm no foul.

One of my favorite prototype locomotives because they're just cool is the Union Pacific's turbines. Besides, what railroad other than the UP could get away with calling a locomotive the "Big Blow." (I actually prefer the N&W's "Jawn Henry" - but come on, no one will EVER make that in plastic, will they???).

Enter the Scale Trains Union Pacific Turbine. I saw these announced a few months ago and immediately passed since well, you know they aren't really a "fit" for the Central Vermont.  

What if, just maybe, my prototype freelanced subsidiary of the CV, the Southern New England, acquired a few turbine sets???? I mean, someone made GG-1's painted for the SP Daylight and I've even seen an RGS Galloping Goose painted in a Santa Fe Warbonnet!
Imagine if you will a set of Big Blows painted green and yellow ... what a wonderful sight they would make winding (and screaming!) their way through my depiction of the tranquil New England countryside.

There might be some, uh, "operational challenges" to overcome. Consider the wood overpasses and covered bridge over the tracks just south of Everett....the equivalent of jet exhaust might take it's toll on the century+ old wood?  

On second thought, maybe not. Perhaps Bernie should get a set to switch the LAPT?

Mid-Atlantic Railroad Prototype Modelers (MARPM) Meet - Fredericksburg, Va. 30 Sept-1 Oct 2016

The Mid-Atlantic Railroad Prototype Modelers (a.k.a. "MARPM") will be held Friday Sep 30, and Sunday Oct 1, at the Windgate by Wyndham Inn in Fredericksburg, Va., just off I-95.

There will be usual model display room, chances to visit and kitbitz with other models, and to see some truly stunning models.

I will be presenting my "Modeling the October Scene - Achieving believable fall colors."

But there's a full slate of clinics that rivals that at many national events.

Some of the clinics –

- Andrew Dodge "Creating a Steam Locomotive Roster" based on the roster of steam locomotives he scratch built for his new Proto:48 Colorado Midland – truly museum quality examples of the modeler’s art.

- Paul Dolkos “Tracks in the street: challenges of modeling the urban jungle” – it’s Paul explaining his modeling illustrated with his photography - why say more?

- Bernie Kempinski “Down to the Sea in Trains” – an introduction to his new, modern era Port of Los Angeles layout, the star of his soon to be published new book Model Railroaders Guide to Marine Terminals and Wharfs.

- Lance Mindheim “Tips for Better Structures” – Lance combines details and photos to convince us we are seeing more than is modeled.

- Ben Hom “New York Central System Open Hoppers 1919-1967" – a national expert on freight cars, Ben’s eye for detail and methods to improve prototype accuracy apply regardless of the cars you are modeling.

- Ramon Rhodes "A RAILROAD ODYSSEY: A Half Century Love Affair with Trains" – this man can tell a story - sit back, learn a bit and enjoy a lot.

There is more. Take a look at the website marpm.org and sign up.

By the way, there is no organization that puts on or fronts the money for an RPM event. Norm Wolf, Bob Sprague, Shannon Crabtree and others I don’t know have taken the initiative and done the work to make the MARPM happen.