Touring the Model Railroad Club Layout

The tour of the Model Railroad Club layout starts with the GP-13. The Gilberton to Pittsburgh run heads westbound powered by three F-3s. The huge Cargill Grain elevators take up much of the yard. There is a lot of work for GP-13 today – two cars will go to the Rahway River Railroad, nine will interchange with the Trenton Northern, and the rest will continue onto Pittsburgh.

F Unit 1932 leads 1444 and 1944 by the refinery, then it’s on to Ashland. At the Ashland Viaduct, GP-13 passes a local passenger train stuck on a siding. Underneath the Ze and Zinc mine is the first glimpse of the Rahway River Railroad. GP-13 heads into Summit where the Gladstone Branch begins. There is interchange work here with the Rahway River. The conductor sets out an HD&O gondola and a Rahway River boxcar. Number 209 is a three car rail diesel train. Next up is to follow the RDC out of Summit for a while.

Train 209 enters the trench at Summit station. At Murray Hill the RDC heads westbound on the Gladstone Branch. The RDC stops and takes on passengers here. Train 209 arrives in Bernardsville and will exchange passengers with the Trenton Northern trolley at the station. The view from the last car is the best way to enjoy the action. Gladstone is the end of the line on the commuter district. Back at Summit, the switching of GP-13 continues.

There is a Rahway River S-4 coming in to drop a cut for the HD&O. The Rahway switcher eases by Summit Tower to set out an HD&O gondola and a B&O boxcar. The GP-13 F units pick up the cars that the Rahway River dropped and vice versa. Ringoes is the headquarters for the Trenton Northern and Electric Line. To continue the tour, watch the full video.