The Fruitvale Avenue Railroad Bridge of Alameda, Calif.

The Fruitvale Avenue Railroad Bridge was built in 1951 by the Army Corps of Engineers, you can learn the entire history of the bridge, and also learn some fascinating information about how the bridge works and the unorthodox way it recieves electric power to operate. In addition to the views of the bridge I took a few months ago from the Alameda side of the bridge, check out these 3 aerial views, presumably taken by helicopter.

This bridge replaced the much older swing span that originally carried SP Interurban Electrics across the channel, as seen in this photo from my personal archive:

This is an SP Interurban Electric Crossing Fruitvale Avenue Bridge towards Alameda in 1935

This Overall view is looking south-east towards the Oakland Airport and San Leandro. The adjacent Miller-Sweeny bascule-lift bridge (built 1971) carries automobile traffic on Fruitvale Avenue.

Looking up to see the 175 foot high lift towers…

Sitting at 65 feet the span is left open, and the massive counterweight also sits in position midway up the tower, and slides up or down to counter the weight of the span when raised or lowered.

The control tower that operates the Miller-Sweeny bridge also controls the Railroad Lift bridge.

A closeup shot of the far tower on the Oakland side.

The bridge never saw Interurban Electric traffic (that having been removed in 1937-1941) However it did see the occasional steam locomotive and 50 years of diesels, from 1951-2001. The Southern Pacific crossed on this bridge into Alameda to interchange with the Alameda Belt Line, and serve a handful of industries on the south side of Park Street. The Alameda Belt line was gone by 1998, when traffic at the naval base ended in the early 1990’s and the Del Monte Packing house closed its doors. In later years the Union Pacific handled the dwindling amount of traffic until the rails were pulled up on either side of the bridge sometime early in the 2000’s.

The Beauty of O Scale Brass.

I thought I’d share some astoundly painted, superdetailed and weathered steam locomotives owned by a gentleman located in the south bay area.

I would love to revisit his layout and perhaps cover it in a full article here at some point, can you identify the man behind this layout? (E-mail me with the details, I lost his card accidentally a couple of months back.)

Visit a Prototype Modeler’s Meet.

There’s one facet of the hobby that’s surprisingly fun and definately informative and impressive. It’s your local prototype modeler’s meet. Here you’ll find beautifully detailed models in a casual, friendly atomsphere where you can really appreciate and enjoy them. You’ll often find the true “master modelers” at these conventions, often people you might be familar with through the Model Railroad press.

To check one of these out for Interacting with Miniature Railroading, I brought some of my weathered and kitbashed models to the event to see what reaction I’d get and also to see how easy or difficult it is to fit into these events.

I visited the Bay Area Prototype Modeler’s Meet in Richmond, Calif. (BAPM for short) last saturday and was extremely impressed. Tucked away in the cafeteria of a Catholic School in Richmond Heights, the well lit room lent itself to really being able to see the models in natural light.

FOR A FULL GALLERY OF PHOTOGRAPHS COVERING EVERY MODEL IN THE EVENT, CLICK ON THIS PBASE GALLERY BY HARRY WONG.

When I arrived at 11:45 a DCC clinic featuring the new SPROG II computer-to-track programmer (which runs on JMRI) was just wrapping up. I paid $10 to get in the door, which wasn’t any problem for me, considering what and who I’d find inside. I also bought 2 Raffle tickets.

The room was mostly filled up, three rows of tables down a 75X30 foot cafeteria, with more than 100 models on display. About 90% of the models were HO, the rest were various narrow gauge scales, including my On30 2-6-0. It is no wonder why HO was represented so heavily as the sheer amount of aftermarket detail parts available is staggering. I asked where to set up, and a friendly member just told me to set up on any empty table, which I found quite refreshing in comparison to handling the insanity of getting a table at a train show.

I was met with pleasant remarks after setting up, and it felt good to finally have a group of modelers that are supportive instead of arrogant, close minded, overly eccentric individuals I often see at train shows. The prototype modeler group is not only nice, but extremely intelligent and informed on their particular area of intrest.

It was time to explore the rest of the tables during the lunch hour. I wasn’t disappointed.

The really neat thing about these prototype modeler’s meets is not only do you see the ‘finished’ models but you also get to enjoy the models in progress as well. Elizabeth Allen’s impressive model of a Southern Pacific SDP45 has been impressing people for the couple of years she’s been constructing it, and just look at the attention to detail!

All the gray parts on the locomotive are from the well-known modeling detail parts supplier Cannon & Company. The current owner was out to display his equally spectacular freight car models and talk with the prototype modelers to get ideas for his next products.

Next to the “in-progress” models all the tables were of course the fleet of beautifully painted and detailed complete models. This Southern Pacific “torpedo boat” GP9 is an excellent example. (The nickname torpedo boat comes from the airtanks on the roof, which are usually behind the fuel tank under the frame, but the fuel tank was enlarged to extend the locomotive’s range, and they had to go somewhere.)

Not only were there plenty of Western US power, there was an excellent display of Brazilian meter and standard gauge equipment by Edson Yamazaki. All of these models were heavily kitbashed and superdetailed.

The most impressive model I saw was a Brazilian DDM45 which is an SD45 built to run on Meter (3′6″ gauge) rails and has 8 axles featuring the classic DD40AX sideframes.

In addition to the Freight Cars& Diesels, there was a good turnout of steam era equipment and passenger cars, all nicely detailed.

You should find and attend the next prototype modeler’s meet in your area, there should be at least one annual event in your NMRA region (although it’s not affiliated with the NMRA in any way) check with other local modelers to find out about these exquisite events! For those willing to travel the Western Prototype Modeler’s meet is in San Bernardino’s beautiful mission-revival style AT&SF depot in Septemer.

A Railfan Report 5/24/09

On Sunday 5/24/09 RailfanHunter decided to railfan the UP Fresno line in Sacramento. I set up at a small yard that had a switcher, an SW1500, but it was parked for the weekend. Today was AC4400 day on the Fresno Sub, because just about every train I saw had an AC4400CW leading. I had 3 major catches, two SP AC4400CW’s, one leading and one trailing, and a light move of 25 locomotives. I saw the daily westbound San Joaquin train #701, and a stack train, as well as a few manifests, Although grain traffic was the heaviest today. I was hoping to see a BNSF train but to no avail.

All and all it was a great railfanning day.

A Railfan Report Special Edition: 5/12/09

On National Train Day (5/9/09) I visited the California State Railroad Museum for their special celebration. Locomotives usually hidden off in the SP Sacramento Shops were pulled out for display. Handcar rides were also given, and in the museum itself there was an Amtrak California coach on display and open for touring, as well as seven tables of railroad themed giveaways, which is always a pleasure to find.

Locomotives on outdoor display:

Southern Pacific E9A 6051

Union Pacific 0-6-0 4466 blowing its whistle on compressed air

Sacramento Northern SW1 402
Sacramento Southern GE44Ton 1240
Sacramento Southern SW8 2030

Union Pacific Motor Coach

…and of course the Granite Rock 0-6-0T was out to pull the Sacramento Southern passenger specials.

The weather was perfect and made for a very enjoyable day.

Layout Tour: S Scale Masterpiece

The work of a dedicated group of modelers working closely together to build one layout can either fail miserably, or be a breathtaking success. Ed Loiseaux’s spectacular New York Central Valley Division is certianly the latter. Tucked away in the hills south of San Francissco, Ed’s S scale layout is located in an unobstructed 20X30 foot room in his home. You have to cross a japanese looking water feature on stepping stones to reach his layout, then dive under a duckunder to then be surrounded by the magnificence of S scale.

The small group of modelers that work on Ed’s layout have created a wide variety of scenes. He has not only a great depiction of Upstate new york, but a sizeable corner of his layout has an S scale version of the Westside Lumber Company in there for variety. His backdrops are painted by a local professional backdrop painter who has done quite a few local model railroad backdrops. The seamless quality from the front of the layout to the painted backdrops really give the illusion of depth and don’t break your sense of modeled reality that bare or cluttered walls give you.

Each industry on the layout is well planned and executed. There is an oil refinery in one corner, on the opposite side of the room is a large coal mine, with the Lumber mill and Waterfall/Dam Scene occupying the other two corners. He is one of the few modelers who actually (and realistically) decided to model a dam, and it’s quite spectacular!

The rock work and scenery all across the layout was done with extreme care and attention to detail, period detais from the 1940’s abound with not only period vehicles, but street signs, industrial details, and of course an impeccable roster of postwar equipment.

It seems like the roster comprises a good mix of plastic kits and brass locomotives, although I’m not entirely sure. Almost all of his freight cars are nicely detailed and some are lightly weathered.

His depot structures are centerpiece scenes anchoring the middle of each part of the layout.

When the lights dim for night operation another world unfolds full of neon signs and lighted structures..

A Railfan Report Special Edition 4/20/09

On 4/19/09 I visited Roseville for their centennial celebration. There was a magnificent display of locomotives and cars on display at the celebration, probably the best I’ve seen.

Locomotives:

Union Pacific 4-8-4 FEF-3 844
Union Pacific Heritage SD70ACe 1983
Union Pacific Heritage SD70ACe 1996
Southern Pacific E9A 6051
A Southern Pacific Rotary
Two Union Pacific Genset Switchers
Two Union Pacific GP38-2s
Union Pacific GEVO 7909

Note from Hunter, who was on the scene at Roseville Railroad Days:

When I went to see the cab of 844, I dropped my camera from 10ft. but it still works. 844 Only blew her whistle once, and at closing time she blew off some smoke. All and all it was an exciting event and I had a great time.

Here’s the story from Kevin’s POV:

He started high up in Donner Pass capturing the 844 and other freight trains and chased it down the sierras into Roseville, amazingly there was still snow on the ground in some parts.

Before the arrival of 844, he witnessed a quartet of Dash9-44CW’s two of which were old Espee “speedlettered” units on the point, one midtrain, along with the usual sea of UP yellow.

The arrival of 844 was a welcome sight, as seen here from across the river.

Here’s a more dramatic photo of FEF-3 class 844 rounding the curve.
FEF stands for Four-Eight-Four (4-8-4 is the whyte notation for this type of wheel arrangement)

Here’s a great photo of it coasting downgrade in the snow…

The huge Union Pacific steamer needs all of her parts running smoothly, so the crew runs around to grease all the moving parts on the frame and siderods.

The future of US railroading, the GENSET switcher was on display at Roseville, along with the aforementioned locomotives. Overall it was quite a show.

Interlude- Caltrain

Interacting with Miniature Railroading has a NEW look!

I’m pleased to announce the new colorscheme for Interacting with Miniature Railroading! (No, it’s not based on a railroad’s color scheme for those curious minds)

Check out the new banner, a time-lapse photo I look on my model railroad, and you’ll find a few other improvements.

I’m beginning to re-write some of my articles that were a good idea in theory..but weren’t as helpful as you might have wished. The first article that has been throughroly re-vamped is “Micro Layouts are a Blast!”

Next will probably be updated tutorials on how to do stuff, and you’ll see them in the next few weeks among the other new material.

I have made many promises in the past for articles that I never got around to writing, the list is below, and will be a guide to what you’ll be reading on this site in the next few weeks as I tie up these loose ends.

 

If YOU have any suggestions, please leave a comment.

List of future articles:

-Building a Photo Diorama for you model Trains (re-write, new photos)

-Modeling 4 lane concrete roadways (re-write, new photos)

-We build a Pizza-Style Micro Layout (New)

-How to weather: Tank Cars. Livestock cars, Hoppers, Gondolas, Steel boxcars, trussrod boxcars, old passenger cars, streamlined passenger cars, flatcars, Covered hoppers (both grain and cement), cabeese, diesels, and electric locomotives.

-How to weather steam locomotives (a mulit-part series)

-How to model an orange grove using new techniques

-How to detail and scratchbuild a citrus packing house from photographs of the real thing

-More building and structure plans

- N scale structure articles

-A review of the new Bachmann HO GE-45 tonner (with siderods!)

-and more!

Happy Holidays from Us!

Merry Christmas

Happy Hanukkah

From all of us at Interacting with Miniature Railroading!

Please enjoy this holiday slide show of the Gorre& Daphetid presented by the G&D reminiscence project.

http://www.gdlines.com/G&D_card.html