Home

Latest Posts

Railroads

14 Jan 2024

Conrail Train Symbol Nerdology

This past weekend (Jan 13, 2024) I gave a presentation about Conrail Train Symbols at the Conrail Historical Society‘s 1st Quarterly membership meeting, held at the Power Director’s Office in Harrisburg, PA, maintained by the Harrisburg Chapter, NRHS. The Harrisburg Chapter is a must-visit when in the area, as both the Harris Tower and the […]

J. Alex Lang

G38 Ore Gon

Model Railroading

11 Jan 2021

PRR G38 Ore Cars in HO

As I’m modeling Conrail in 1994, Bethlehem PA area, I have been accumulating Stewart and Bowser G39 ore hoppers for quite some time in order to feed the Bethlehem blast furnaces with iron ore for steelmaking purposes. By 1994, these aging cars were supplemented by occasional 70- and 100- coal hoppers as well, but – […]

J. Alex Lang

Model Railroading

7 Dec 2018

Kitbashed Conrail B36-7

I’ve (finally) finished my pair of Atlas-kitbashed Conrail B36-7’s. I started these out in January, with parts that I’d accumulated over the prior year.  This project was aided and inspired by the Dave Abeles’ B36-7 fleet plying the rails of his HO scale Onondaga Cutoff (e.g. https://onondagacutoff.blogspot.com/2013/07/a-coat-of-paint.html)  You should know that there is a Murphy’s Law […]

J. Alex Lang

Model Railroading

14 Mar 2017

Recent Weathering Updates

Recently, I was asked by a friend for some progress photos, so, here are some cars I’ve completed over the last six months or so. I’m tending to do a fade airbrush coat, then acrylic detail, then PanPastel weathering, with Testors DullCote layers in between each step. I try to weather cars in batches, and […]

J. Alex Lang

Model Railroading

31 Jan 2017

Conrail 21248 N-21 Caboose, “Outer Limits”

It has been awhile since I’ve updated everyone… First, about the layout. The Aspinwall Belt was dismantled and put into storage in March, 2016 in preparation for waterproofing and finishing the basement. So far, that hasn’t happened yet. But, I was smart enough to leave my modeling work area intact, and so I’ve been using […]

J. Alex Lang

Railroads

16 Aug 2016

20 Cylinders on the East Slope

“Man…” I thought, “I’m not getting out of bed for this!” John Z had just burst into the room explaining that a train was stopped outside The Station Inn, with a rare SD45-2 being towed behind the newer, more typical Norfolk Southern locomotives that pass by here daily. I reasoned that breakfast was more important. […]

J. Alex Lang