New York and Long Branch, NY&LB in HO

Hello all....
I've been spending the past year constructing a faithful (hopefully) ho layout in my basement of the former NY&LB (now NJCL) railroad and thought I should share my experience with my fellow forum modelers.
Construction started with the Bay Head loop and has so far reached into Manasquan, NJ. I decided from the onset to record the layout construction progress and share it via my website which you can visit at http://mysite.verizon.net/nyandlb/index.htm
This is the first layout I've built in over 30 years and the learning curve has been steep, but enjoyable. In a nutshell, I'm modeling the Line between Bay Head and Perth Amboy on a double deck linear layout during the period between 1953 and 1957.
Thanks for looking! Jerry

That's great! I know someone else whose modeling the South Amboy area of the NJCL. My O Scale layout will be based on the NJCL around Woodbridge while my HO will be the SEPTA/PRR Cynwyd, SEPTA/RDG Fox Chase, and Amtrak Keystone Lines. Both in present day because I adore my NJ Transit as it is today.

What? you live in point pleasant and your building MY dream in YOUR basement? I live in brielle and I would LOVE TO SEE THIS!

ppbhist wrote:Hello all....
I've been spending the past year constructing a faithful (hopefully) ho layout in my basement of the former NY&LB (now NJCL) railroad and thought I should share my experience with my fellow forum modelers.
Construction started with the Bay Head loop and has so far reached into Manasquan, NJ. I decided from the onset to record the layout construction progress and share it via my website which you can visit at http://mysite.verizon.net/nyandlb/index.htm
This is the first layout I've built in over 30 years and the learning curve has been steep, but enjoyable. In a nutshell, I'm modeling the Line between Bay Head and Perth Amboy on a double deck linear layout during the period between 1953 and 1957.
Thanks for looking! Jerry

Hi Jerry-

Sounds like a great project, please keep us informed about your progress!

-otto-

ApproachMedium wrote:What? you live in point pleasant and your building MY dream in YOUR basement? I live in brielle and I would LOVE TO SEE THIS!

Aww, c'mon...we're neighbors, aren't we? Hee Hee..... Actually, I've heard from several locals who are in the early stages, or hoping to someday, model part or all of the NY&LB in it's various flavors. I'm hoping to have the layout open to visitors sometime this spring.
In the meantime, the web site will have to do.
ApproachMedium, it's been fun sneeking out on the docks to photograph the Manasquan bridge. I brought my wife with me and we acted like we were on a hot date so not to arouse (ahem) suspicion from NJT.
Jerry

Otto Vondrak wrote:

ppbhist wrote:Hello all....
I've been spending the past year constructing a faithful (hopefully) ho layout in my basement of the former NY&LB (now NJCL) railroad and thought I should share my experience with my fellow forum modelers.
Construction started with the Bay Head loop and has so far reached into Manasquan, NJ. I decided from the onset to record the layout construction progress and share it via my website which you can visit at http://mysite.verizon.net/nyandlb/index.htm
This is the first layout I've built in over 30 years and the learning curve has been steep, but enjoyable. In a nutshell, I'm modeling the Line between Bay Head and Perth Amboy on a double deck linear layout during the period between 1953 and 1957.
Thanks for looking! Jerry

Hi Jerry-

Sounds like a great project, please keep us informed about your progress!

-otto-

Thanks Otto...will do. Keep up the great work on your end.
Jerry

ppbhist wrote:

ApproachMedium wrote:What? you live in point pleasant and your building MY dream in YOUR basement? I live in brielle and I would LOVE TO SEE THIS!

Aww, c'mon...we're neighbors, aren't we? Hee Hee..... Actually, I've heard from several locals who are in the early stages, or hoping to someday, model part or all of the NY&LB in it's various flavors. I'm hoping to have the layout open to visitors sometime this spring.
In the meantime, the web site will have to do.
ApproachMedium, it's been fun sneeking out on the docks to photograph the Manasquan bridge. I brought my wife with me and we acted like we were on a hot date so not to arouse (ahem) suspicion from NJT.
Jerry

LOL. Well I have no room and I am in a rental place in brielle so I cant build anything here other than my current workbench and 4x8 test loop. Let me know when you have open house. Your website has very detailed photos and I enjoyed looking it over!

Very nice, my Grandfather was an engineer for the PRR and ran down the NY&LB many a times.

Awesome layout! I had planned the same, but the era I had intended to model was from the early NJT years to the present. I have an uncle who worked on the NY&LB back in the day. Unfortunately,I do not have enough room at the present time to construct the layout and had to sell off all of my collection (ApproachMedium was the benefactor). Keep up the good work!

Looks sharp!

For a while, i wanted to model this line closer up to South Amboy (i see it every saturday crossing the Outerbridge Crossing). I still plan to at least do the "union interlocking" at Rahway, with the NJCL trains going into mini-staging.

green_elite_cab wrote:Looks sharp!

For a while, i wanted to model this line closer up to South Amboy (i see it every saturday crossing the Outerbridge Crossing). I still plan to at least do the "union interlocking" at Rahway, with the NJCL trains going into mini-staging.

Thanks for the encouragement everyone!
Personally, I think the South Amboy area and its junctions with the Camden & Amboy and Raritan River RR, not to mention the coal docks/dumpers, engine house, and the changeover from electric to steam/diesel during the 1950s is the most interesting part of the whole NY&LB. I originally wanted to start the model RR at the Raritan Bridge and work south, but my basement configuration had the final say so I started at Bay Head. I did a lot of research on the whole S. Amboy operation which has been filed for future reference.
I plan to have the layout that's presently under construction to at least run through the Red Bank junction with the NJ Southern before going into double staging. The rest of the line north depends on when (or if) I expand the basement for the layout and consider placing an addition on top of it for the wife.
Jerry

Sounds awesome! Good thing MP54s are coming out this coming year, grab a bunch of them, then lurk on Ebay for some Broadway GG1s, and you're set for the electric interchange. If you're really lucky, you might find a P5A or an E44 for an reachable price. I'm pretty sure the Jamesburg branch connects with South Amboy as an alternate electric route to New York. As i understand it, the line diverges off the NEC at Monmouth, then heads east to jamesburg, before heading north to South Amboy. I have pictures of Amtrak GG1s using this route as a detour, and a few photos of MP54s running on this line, on top of the usual freights coming in and out under wire.

green_elite_cab wrote:Sounds awesome! Good thing MP54s are coming out this coming year, grab a bunch of them, then lurk on Ebay for some Broadway GG1s, and you're set for the electric interchange. If you're really lucky, you might find a P5A or an E44 for an reachable price. I'm pretty sure the Jamesburg branch connects with South Amboy as an alternate electric route to New York. As i understand it, the line diverges off the NEC at Monmouth, then heads east to jamesburg, before heading north to South Amboy. I have pictures of Amtrak GG1s using this route as a detour, and a few photos of MP54s running on this line, on top of the usual freights coming in and out under wire.

Actually, since this layout has been ongoing in my head for the past ten years or more, I've accumulated a pretty good roster of prototypical motive power. At the South Amboy end, this includes several ConCor M54 coaches and combines (why they call them MP54 when they're not powered units is beyond me). I also have several Alco brass MP54 powered coaches and combines which will need a bit of work to bring up to today's dcc standards. I'm also watching the new ConCor powered units due in 2011. Most of the Broadway Limited GG1 electrics are in my stable as well as Alco brass P5a and P5a modifieds. The steam and diesel rosters are also pretty much complete which include brass, MTH, BLI, Stewart and Proto along with a couple of brass PRR doodlebugs.
The Amboy Route was indeed electrified with the P5s hauling the bulk of coal drags to the docks during the 50s followed by the E44s.

ppbhist wrote: Actually, since this layout has been ongoing in my head for the past ten years or more, I've accumulated a pretty good roster of prototypical motive power. At the South Amboy end, this includes several ConCor M54 coaches and combines (why they call them MP54 when they're not powered units is beyond me). I also have several Alco brass MP54 powered coaches and combines which will need a bit of work to bring up to today's dcc standards. I'm also watching the new ConCor powered units due in 2011. Most of the Broadway Limited GG1 electrics are in my stable as well as Alco brass P5a and P5a modifieds. The steam and diesel rosters are also pretty much complete which include brass, MTH, BLI, Stewart and Proto along with a couple of brass PRR doodlebugs.
The Amboy Route was indeed electrified with the P5s hauling the bulk of coal drags to the docks during the 50s followed by the E44s.

Gotta be careful with those Alco P5 modifieds. I think the Alco Modified is all of the same unit, # 4770, which was a rebuilt boxcab made with welded construction. All other P5 Modified were riveted. If you have more than one, its time to invest is those "Archer" decal rivets.

I'm still digging for more Conrail GG1s by BLI. I model about 20 years after you do, and even though i somehow managed to snatch up some very nice E44s, can't seem to find any GG1s now.

Happy Holidays everyone!
I finally finished up construction this weekend on the Manasquan River part of the layout (minus water and further details) and have pushed construction into Sea Girt and the junction with the PRR Freehold and Jamesburg line.

Nothing like having distant relatives coming for the holidays to push a building frenzy on the layout.

You can check out the latest work at http://mysite.verizon.net/nyandlb/const ... gress2.htm .

Jerry