Sunday, February 26, 2023

Bill Welch Freight Cars



Ted Culotta  is handling the late Bill Welch's modeling estate. So when I saw Ted at Timonium a few weeks ago I was thrilled when he presented me with two of Bill's completed models. They're shown here posed on the Richford Branch. Note like most of Bill's models I've seen these two are beautifully modeled - and wear pristine paint jobs. 

Currently these are in a display case alongside alongside other models from friends who have passed away - including Andy Sperandeo, Richard Hendrickson, Jack Ozanich, and Dick Elwell. I'm more than a little torn - should I weather these and run them as part of the operating fleet, or leave them as Bill built them?  

Thursday, February 2, 2023

Riding the Head End


I was organizing and scanning some photos when I came across this favorite (click on photo to enlarge) that I obtained from Bob's Photos years ago. 

CV 2-8-0 #472 is working this local between Palmer and Monson, Mass. on a sunny March 12, 1955.  

What better place for the head end brakeman to keep an eye on things that atop the coal load in the first hopper? (A D&H car for those interested in such things).