Category Archives: an imaginary rail line

LET US SLEEP ON IT*

woe betide them that try

to se in stone what needs more time…

My turn table lost?*

without further cost?

Then I looked near bed time!

I thought I’d lost my lead

To that tyrn table, but indeed…

A curve could be made

With large enough radius laid,

To satisfy the using of steam.

A switch I’d previously cut in,

To one engine stall could run…

The other could Branch

From the turn table switch–

My space problem was overcome!

Envisioning a massive water wheel,

Fed by a sluice pipe has appeal…

This motorized–

Already planned (what a surprise?),

For which the tourists would positively SQUEAL!

And then, the bridge over a mill dam flood—

If I wanted, a covered bridge wouldn’t take TOO MUCH blood…!

Just for light tourist trains–

Steel reinforced all the same–

An occasional short freight could be good!

-0

I wish I could draw all this now,

All it took was time to see how…

Possibilities arise

by opening one’s eyes,Imagination plus a day’s-worth of wrinkled brow!

–Jonathan Caswell

*NOTE–Refer back to the post..ECONOMIC CHOICES IN MINIATURE…posted yesterday~!

MODELING MEMORIES

His memories of New England various,

Were by and large vicarious…

Mostly pictures he saw

with interest and awe,

His chances of a visit–hilarious!

Point of fact he was too young,

Couldn’t drive himself even some…

The eight-hour ride

Once a summer left wide,

Window for relevant magazines to come!

Still his interest grew,

Past the time when he knew…

This paint scheme was gone,

these ALCOs moved on.

But the history he wanted to view.

Found an N scale engine thus,

Painted just like this—a plus–

To re-enact

Historical fact,

Without too much fuss!

–Jonathan Caswell

 

THE CHRISTMAS TRAIN–SURVIVES!

The train ’round our tree survives,

It must own several lives…

train tracks glued down

won’t shift around,

But the trains do go flying–surprise!

Being careful my wife and I,

Have avoided seeing the train fly…

It at times left the rails

So far my steamer fails,

To run here–I don’t know why?

Helps that we have no kids,

Nor cats to sit amidst…

Not much room

Nor do our trains zoom,

But they’ve been known to do splits!

–Jonathan Caswell

 

 

HOT WEEKEND–SWELTERING HOBBY

His shirt’s soaked with sweat,

Soldering smoke and yet,

He has had fun

Track wiring half done,

The track plan as complete as it will  get!

Still running the air purifier,

Don’t need a humidifier…

Plenty of light–

Three lamps shining bright–

His soldering iron  on fire!

Finalized a couple more spurs

From industry tracks that once were…

Salt shed track

Was modified  back,

To a siding with “green growing fur.”

It’s nearly one electrical block,

If wanted I could cut sections up…

But just one train

For this tired brain,

Spotting cars to load up!

I’m planning the tourist train,

Variety the name of the game…

A simple turn around

The turntable’s sound,

Add a trolley and nothing’s the same.

–Jonathan Caswell

The Poet refers to progress on his N scale switching shelf layout..

 

 

MODEL A COAL-FIRED PLANT?

Model a coal-fired power plant,

Environmentalist would say I can’t…

But history shows

There plainly were those,

So let those control hungered rant!

There are power plant advances,

Some environmentalists won’t take any chances…

That it might work,

And so they knee-jerk,

Against all but their own romances!

MY model power plant,

Burns alternative fuels at that…

Efficient scrubbers

Clean air for land lubbers,

Recyclable volumes–giant!

An opinion post—meant to be humorous–but some may find it offensive!  😀

–Jonathan Caswell

LISTEN TO THAT VOICE!

The voice in his head says, “DO IT,”

He’s not sure he’ll get through it…

Layout wiring–

His least favorite thing–

This weekend (maybe) he’ll go to it!

More than half the feed wires placed,

And he has willingly faced…

“Plugging” along

(Is a pun so wrong?)…

Then underneath wires are laced.

Power supply–nothing new–

A good power pack will do…

One has a short

Is it an abort-?

Maybe two small ones will do!

–Jonathan Caswell

 

AN N SCALE RS-3M-?

(Image of a Housatonic Railroad RS-3m  found on Google)

A long-held modelers’ dream,

Doing custom modeling…

Certain railroads

Extended locos,

Lives economically!

RS-3 diesel engines on the main

Were rather hard to maintain…

EMD units

In crashes came though it,

These newer engines to the RS-3 came.

The ALCO RS-3’s “two-forty-four”

Diesel engines were used no more…

They put an EMD

Into the RS-3,

Made a hybrid which lasted years more!

This modeler’s vision is fading,

Tiny N scale’s quite a lading…

Too much for me

Small parts to see,

The project he’s begun evading.

–Jonathan Caswell

 

IS HE, IS HE…JUST TOO BUSY?

The weekend came and went,

He failed in his intent…

To clean up and wire

His layout inspired,

His time just came and went!

–Jonathan Caswell

 

 

WHAT SAYS “NEW ENGLAND” ?

My model layout wanders it seems

Away from cherished themes…

What for you

Says “New England” too,

Beyond operational schemes?

 Does NISSEN BREAD,

MOXIE, barns red,

SPAGS and stores

With “colonial” decors,

Monuments to Revolutionary dead?

Dairies and granite quarries

In earlier days held stories…

Ice cream and views

Along the Turnpike count too,

And whaling ship stories!

Broad “a’s” in speech,

A Kennedy’s reach…

Where Plymouth Rock stays

And Sturbridge Village ways

Are preserved to history teach!

So for my small train set,

What industries are best…

Beverages and rock salt

Metals, food stuffs sought,

And historic touristy nests?

Gravel still travels by train,

Lumber and minerals same…

Environmental ire

Has dampened coal fired

Power plants, but garbage still flames!

A water-powered mill

And museum of trains fit the bill…

For small excursions

Of rich incursions into filling the local till!

Do you think I’ll have enough room,

I figure some things will die soon…

New England gives

And takes to live,

But survival cannot be assumed!

–Jonathan Caswell

BACK—TO A SCRAP METAL YARD!

Layout planning changes,

History one rearranges…

In the seventies around here

Boats to carry scrap appeared,

In Boston to be filled before market price changes.

When a boat arrived

all area scrap yards came alive…

To fill this boat

all would devote,

A few weeks and then stay alive.

Thus like grain or snow,

Scrapyards have seasonal flow…

Like winter for salt

In autumn would start,

Ship arrival told when to load.

Where was this metal heading,

Japanese car makers  getting…

Ready to sell

More cars that kept well,

Unlike the American vetting!

Rolling stock needed I’ll use,

Body shells from old “choo-choos”…

A yard with two tracks,

‘Though I might take one back,

Lots of switching for short line train crews!

–Jonathan Caswell

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–Jonathan Caswell