Category Archives: Prototype

Off my trolley – San Pedro

At the end of one line from LA and Watts were San Pedro and LA Harbour.  In the days of large ocean liners, collecting passengers from the liner and transporting them into LA generated a lot of traffic through San Pedro. San … Continue reading

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Direct train to Europe

This is a good post to follow our Berlin adventures, and explains why we had to fly EasyJet rather than get a direct train London-Berlin.  In this article, the BBC looks at the new Eurostar service to Marseille and gives some … Continue reading

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The Bartlett’s in Berlin – 3

The area around the Warschauer Str. terminus is of both railway and historic interest.  Behind the station itself is this small maintenance shed, and a large carriage shed.  I don’t think Lidl are now operating trains!  Although I didn’t see any trains enter the … Continue reading

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The Bartlett’s in Berlin – 2

Just next to the Warstrauer Str. U-Bahn station was the S-Bahn station and the DB main lines.  I suppose in UK London terms, the U-Bahn is like London Underground, whilst the S-Bahn is more like London commuter trains – the … Continue reading

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The Bartlett’s in Berlin – 1

Maxine and I recently spent a long weekend in Berlin, visiting our eldest daughter.  We thoroughly enjoyed Berlin, despite having chosen to visit the same weekend as the Champion’s League (football) final.  It’s an interesting city, the greenest in Europe, with all those Cold … Continue reading

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Off my trolley – Pacific Electric to Watts – 3

Finally, could one model the northern end, at Oscar’s junction, or the southern end, at Watts, of the four-track main line?  The prototype track layouts below are taken from the Model Railroader article.  Both have real potential as stand-alone layouts, but … Continue reading

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Off my trolley – Pacific Electric to Watts – 2

Now for a couple of simple ideas for Pacific Electric N-mod modules.  I’ve selected two places where other lines crossed the four-track main line.  The first of these, nearest Watts, is at Slauson Tower, where the ATSF Harbor branch crossed the PE.  The … Continue reading

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Has Rolls-Royce created the train of the future?

From the Daily Telegraph…. A new generation of more efficient, quieter and greener trains could be coming to Britain’s railway lines, driven by a new hybrid power system built by Rolls-Royce.The company – best known for its aircraft engines but … Continue reading

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Off my trolley – Pacific Electric to Watts

Once again, it’s been a long time since I posted on traction and trolleys.  But I’m still thinking about modelling ideas, and while I wait, more interurbans and trolleys keep appearing on the Shapeways site. One of my issues with … Continue reading

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Now ESNG N-mod baseboards?

Having found a picture reminding me of N-mod track, here’s one that reminds me of our baseboards (at least for the corners and fiddle yard).  Thanks to David Bromage on Small Layouts Group for this…. Found this by accident.  A … Continue reading

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