Steam Whistle Music Music Tracks Ahead Brought to you by: Rancho de Tia Rosa, three unique Mexican restaurants serving culinary delights since 1990.

Music Hi, I'm Spencer Christian.

On this episode of Tracks Ahead, we'll go to the German state of Saxony for narrow gauge steam.

We'll check out a large Lionel club layout in Levittown, New York, visit a combination freight and passenger railroad in Pennsylvania, and visit a 7 ½ inch gauge steam line in Ohio.

The Saxons have always been ingenious in their spirit of invention in the areas of industry and technology.

Saxony was the location in 1839 where the first long distance railroad in Germany began operation.

Today, visitors are able to experience a wonderful, collection of narrow gauge steam lines and a host of tourist sights along the way.

Train whistle & steam chuff Annc: Scenes like this are a common sight in parts of Germany.

Today, there are still more narrow-gauge steam trains running in the east central German State of Saxony than anywhere else in Germany.

Boasting five operational steam lines in semi regular service, the State of Saxony has created a confederation of attractions along the lines.

Called the Steam Train Route, this 650 kilometer journey allows visitors to experience the region at its best.

Torsten: In Saxony we now have left five narrow gauge lines which offer regular daily steam service.

First, there is the Zittau narrow gauge railway.

There is the Fishelburgbahn from Wiesentalen to Glosen.

And two tourist operations on former narrow gauge lines, in Schonheide and Jearstadt.

Around Dresden, we have two lines, the Lossnitzgrund, running between Radebeul & Radeburg, and the Weisseritztal between Hainesburg & Kitsdorf.

Annc: Since 1890 the Zittau narrow gauge line is not only the easternmost of the narrow-gauge railroads of Saxony but also the only one that extends on its narrow tracks into the smallest mountain range of Germany.

An unusual aspect of the line is the three terminuses.

Torsten: The Zittau Narrow Gauge was opened in 1890.

The line is 16 kilometers long, and the special thing of the line was that between 1913 and 1945, it was double tracked.

It was the only German narrow gauge with double track operation.

The railway has a very nice line up to the Zittau Mountains.

These mountains are the smallest mountain area in Germany with a special atmosphere.

On the railway we have our station in Bertsdorf where the two lines diverge to Jonsdorf and Oybin.

There are two steam trains leaving the station at the same time.

It is called a Zittau Double Departure of steam trains and that is unique in Germany, maybe in Europe.

The specialty here is that we can offer an old Saxony train with a special steam engine.

It's called 54K.

It was the fourth narrow gauge locomotive which was developed in Saxony, and it was the most successful.

The series was 96 locomotives and the locomotive was especially successful because it has two trucks with four cylinders and you can move the trucks so the locomotive can turn.

The locomotive is not as heavy as the big 2-10-2s, so the locomotive could run on all Saxony narrow gauge lines on all duties.

The Saxony train also has very special old coaches.

There is a baggage coach from 1922 and three passenger coaches from 1913, and also from 1922.

All of these coaches have been constructed by the old Saxony state railway.

And we have put them in the condition of the early 1920's, at the end of the Saxony State Railway.

Here in Zittau we are proud to have a special railcar in operation.

This was the most modern construction for the Saxony narrow gauges.

Four railcars were built for Deutches Reichsbahn in 1937 and 1938 here for the railway.

The railcars operated here until the beginning of the second world war.

In 2007 the Zittau Narrow Gauge rebuilt the railcar and now we are very proud to have this railcar in operation.

The regular service here is operated by 2-10-2 steam locomotives.

And we are also very proud to have the prototype of this 2-10-2 locomotive in operation.

This is the locomotive number 99731.

It was the prototype locomotive which was built in 1928.

This prototype was very successful and after that many more of this type were built, even after the second world war.

The locomotive weights about 55 tons and has a traction effort of about 600 horsepower.

Annc: The steam railroad route also includes national parks, historic areas, and museums.

Ranier: Radebeul has a 50 year tradition in the preservation work of the East German narrow gauges.

In the late 1960's, when the Deutsche Reichsbahn began to close down many of the narrow gauge lines, some railfans started to collect old coaches.

The first were two axle coaches, and they were brought here to Radebeul and donated to the Dresden Transportation Museum which displayed them here.

And in 1974 we started to run special old trains with these coaches.

The freight house here hasn't been used since 1992, and we have been able to get this building from Deutschebahn.

And we established an event museum.

That means we display inside the shed some special coaches and locomotives.

And also we use this freight house for special events.

The highlights inside are the original steam locomotive, type 4K, the 99604, and some two axle coaches from the beginning of the Saxony narrow gauge history in 1881.

Annc: Just outside the museum, we'll find another destination with regular steam service.

Our one hour trip takes us on the line affectionately known as the Lossnitzdackel, or Lossnitz Dachshund.

Mirko: We are here on the Losnitzgrund bahn.

This narrow gauge is 16.6 kilometers long.

It runs from Radebuel through Moritzburg to Radeburg.

We are running six steam trains every day.

The first one starts in the morning at 4:56 to bring the pupils to school and the day ends here about 7 or 8 in the evening.

The Losnitzgrund Railway is a very nice way to see the Losnitz gorge, a special valley with vineyards.

And the narrow gauge reaches to Moritzburg, which is a small village that has a very nice castle.

Also people can go walking, hiking, bicycling in this region, it's very nice.

Annc: The oldest line in Germany, the Weissertiz Valley Railroad first went into service in 1882.

Disaster forced the lines closure in the early part of the 21st century, but the little line has staged an amazing comeback.

Mirko: The Weisseritztalbahn runs from Hainsberg through Dippoldiswalde to Kipsdorf.

This line is approximately 28 kilometers long but it was destroyed in 2002 through flooding.

It was washed out.

At this time we have rebuilt the line to Dippoldewalde, which is about 15 kilometers.

The other portions will be rebuilt.

We are running six trains and they are all steam.

Annc: A local tourist stop is the Rabenau Mill, now a restaurant and hotel, with a wonderful view of the Rabenaur Gorge and the Weisseritz Valley Railroad.

Mirko: The Weisseritztalbahn is very special because it runs through the valley of the creek which is called the Wildeweisseritz.

This wild Weisseritz goes through a kind of gorge.

It's called Rabenauer Grund, and the railway also goes through this Rabenauer Gorge.

The curves go down to a 50 meter radius.

And if you are on the train, very often from the last coach you can photograph very nicely the locomotive in the front.

And also you have a nice hiking trail in this Rabenauer Gorge, which is a state park and wildlife sanctuary.

There is no road there, only the railroad and the hiking trail.

Annc: Every day and in any season, the Steam Train Route is a great way to experience the sights and sounds of a beautiful area.

Don't miss Saxony, the Land of the Steam Trains.

New lines are opening every year, so this is well worth a trip to the eastern part of Germany.

Started in 1983, the Nassau Lionel Operating Engineers Club has gone through several club locations.

Their present home showcases a great operating layout.

Annc: What happens when model railroad enthusiasts decide to return to their toy train roots?

The result can be astounding.

That's exactly what happened back in the early 1980s to a group on Long Island.

Underneath the Leisure Time Billiards Parlor in Levittown, New York, you'll find the result at the Nassau Lionel Operating Engineers, one of the few clubs to be licensed to use the Lionel brand name.

While still a work in progress, the layout is impressive.

At 35 x 80 feet, members can operate seven trains at one time.

At the same time, they can stage 25 more.

The giant figure 8 track plan makes sure that it takes quite a while for trains to reappear.

There are four main lines, all of which connect to large yards.

Generous clearances allow ample room for scenery.

However, all this didn't happen overnight.

John: The conceptual design, in terms of the number of main lines and the over all look of the layout was developed by the members.

And then we gave that input to Don Cardiff for him to put it into a formal track plan.

We needed help with things like elevations and the complexity of making everything that we wanted fit into the space we had.

Annc: While many layouts allow for continuous loops, the club wanted to be able to move trains from one to another.

As a result, the idea of having large yards came into being.

John: The yards serve a number of purposes.

First of all we wanted them to beble to be able to stage a large number of trains, to have them ready to be pulled out onto the main lines.

Secondly, we wanted the ability to store long trains and so you'll see the two yards are quite long with sidings up to 22, 24 feet long.. And the third purpose was then for them to bridge the different main lines, so that we had the ability to get a train from any one of the main lines, to any other of the main lines.

And we do that by running it through the yard.

Annc: The club knew that railroads look better when they run on different levels.

John: Given the size of this layout, we felt that we had the room to do lots of things.

And we wanted a fairly sizable mountain scene area in the center of the layout to separate the two sides.

And that gave us the ability to have a large mountain area with lots of bridges and tunnels.

And to have the effect of trains disappearing into the tunnels and coming out on another part of the layout after a long period of time.

Annc: In the early stages, the club used Plasticville for quick buildings, but that soon gave way to kitbashed structures.

But that didn't mean that those Lionel accessories would be phased out.

The club knew that the animation would be popular with their visitors.

Bob: We have recently completed a Ralston Purina loading facility, on a siding with a Ralston Purina wood side reefer behind it.

We have an International Harvester tractor parts facility.

Presently we have one animated scene on the layout, a home under construction, with the workers erecting a wall.

In the future we plan to add 8 or 9 similar type of displays with animation and figures moving.

Annc: Currently, there are plenty of other little scenes set throughout the layout.

Visitors have to pay careful attention to see them all.

You'll find moving oil pumps, icing facilities, and workers laying track - three rail of course.

With a layout of such a large size, reliable running became very important to the club.

Bob: The club doesn't own any trains.

This allows the members to select what trains they want to bring down and what trains they would like to run.

And we have variety down here.

And it allows the club to devote all its funds to the actual layout.

The trains have to be mechanically flawless because as you can see by the huge size of the layout, if a train derails or malfunctions, it's very difficult to get at the train.

Annc: As a way to boost income and keep dues low, the club has had an annual club car project since 1986.

The project has portrayed all manner of cars over the years, from piggybacks to boxcars.

As in every model railroad, there is still a lot of work yet to be done.

John: We've got a lot of work to do in terms of finishing the mountain line, finishing another town at the far end of the layout which hasn't been started yet.

So there's still fair amount of work to do.

But by the time we're done, we'll have two fairly large towns, one at each end of the layout, and lots of operating capability across the board.

Annc: Rather than hide their endeavors underground, the club welcomes visitors at their open houses.

Not only do the public displays delight, they also attract new members.

Bob: Hopefully that will generate some more interest in membership in the club because they can actually come down and see the layout in operation and what fun it is to play with toy trains.

Annc: The Nassau Lionel Operating Engineers are usually open to the public on weekends, and particularly between Thanksgiving & Christmas.

Stop in and see a Lionel layout that has been going strong for over a quarter of a century.

Check their website for additional information on upcoming shows and open houses.

Some people who build model railroads go to great lengths to make the space needed available for the exact layout they want.

They clean out a room in the basement, or even remodel the house and add on an extra room.

You're about to meet a man who knew exactly the kind of layout he wanted, so he went out and bought the nearly thirty-five acres he needed to build his dream.

Before we meet him, we'll visit a Pennsylvania railroad that combines freight, passenger, and even trolleys into their operation.

Annc: Middletown, Pennsylvania - just outside of Hershey, the "Sweetest Place on Earth" - has the distinction of being the oldest town in Dauphin county.

It's not uncommon for visitors and locals alike.

Folks going through this quiet, unassuming town to stop in their tracks at this unlikely sight.

Natural Sound John: The residents here in Middletown, even though they're used to the train when they come around the corner and see the train, they just stop.

They expect the train to move and obviously that can't happen so we have to help direct them off to the side.

And we just slowly make our way through, probably at a couple of miles an hour, ringing the bell.

So everybody knows when we are coming through town.

Annc: The trains coming through, run on the Middletown & Hummelstown Railroad or as the locals call it, the M&H or "the Milk and Honey Line."

Natural Sound John: We're a small railroad, but we're unique in the fact that we offer trolleys, steam, and regular passenger excursions with diesel, plus being an operating freight railroad, so for being one of the smallest interline carriers in the country and to offer all that is pretty unique, so we're quite proud of that.

Wendell: The M & H Railroad was incorporated in 1888 by local people from Middletown and Hummelstown.

When you ride our train, you're riding on the towpath of the old Union Canal.

Union Canal was completed in 1827.

Went out of business in 1884.

So, you'll see the remains of an old canal lock along the track.

You'll see some old lime kilns that used to make lime that was shipped out by canal boat, and then we have a little cave called Horse Thief Cave and it was told years ago that thieves would steal horses and hide them in the cave until they could get them out of the area under the cover of darkness.

John: The locomotive that generally pulls our passenger trains is our locomotive number 2.

It's built by General Electric.

It's a diesel electric, center cab configuration, 65 ton, built in 1955.

Wendell: The cars were built in 1916 and 1920 by the Pullman Company for the Delaware, Lackawanna Western Railroad.

They were typical of railroad coaches all over the United States.

So you could see this type of car on almost every railroad.

If you look at the patent dates on the seats, they will probably go back to just about Civil War time.

The strecar behind me is called an open streetcar, a summer car, a breezer - various in sundry nicknames.

This one was actually assembled in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, but It's a Brill type car.

The wood in the car is a very pretty wood.

It's called Peroba.

Peroba de Campo, field Peroba that is, and Peroba Amarillo which is yellow Peroba.

And those are the two colors of wood in the car.

It's a Brazilian hardwood normally used in making furniture down in Brazil.

Now this type of streetcar goes back to horse car days.

Companies would have open cars for the summer time, closed cars for the winter times.

John: We average somewhere between 13,000 to 15,000 visitors who ride our excursion trains and trolleys and dinner trains and what not.

We're small but we offer a lot.

We're unique in that sense.

We have a lot of fun on our trains.

We try to make it fun with our entertainer.

We give you a little history lesson as well so; it's some beautiful scenery, so we think it's worthwhile.

Singing Music Annc: Dick McCloy has always been into trains.

First it was Lionel, and then HO, but his model railroad layouts just kept getting bigger and bigger.

Take a look at it now.

This model train which rolls through his thirty-four acre property in southeastern Ohio is so big you can actually ride on it.

Dick: Since I always liked trains, I was going to different meets in which there was live steam and I went to a club meet one day up in Northeast Ohio Live Steamers and there was a steam engine for sale.

And I always wanted to have a steam engine.

I was planning on maybe building one some day.

And I ended up buying a steam engine back in 1989, and that got me started in 7 1/2 inch gauge.

Seven and a half inches between the rails It's basically 1/8 scale one and a half inches to the foot.

I was able to locate this piece of property and build a railroad on it.

And with their help and other people from around Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania coming to help, we've been able to build our dream.

Annc: This giant layout has been many years in the making.

It's a private layout, but it's been such a success that Dick hosts a number of meets every year, just like this one, where people bring their own cars and run them on Dick's track.

It was back in 1997 when Dick and his friends began leveling land the size of a football field on which to lay the first rail.

The first part was actually completed in 2001, and it has been growing ever since.

There are three miles of track that climb fifty-four (54) feet in elevation.

There's a tunnel that's more than one-hundred feet long.

A one-hundred-and-fifty-five foot trestle stands twenty-three feet high.

This really is an engineering masterpiece.

Dick lives on the property, and has room for overnight stays for his friends and helpers in what he affectionately calls, The Barn.

From the initial single engine, Dick's locomotive roster has grown to two operating steam locomotives, an electric, and four diesel engines, with others under construction and repair.

He also has nearly one-hundred cars.

Dick: There's friends that come from Michigan, Pennsylvania, here locally in Ohio, and they work on helping build track, some of the structures, work on the equipment, all sorts of things.

Everyone has their own special interest they like to do.

Some are good at working on steam engines, and others are good on track.

It sort of all blends in together.

It's been ten years laying the track thus far.

And we started, two years before that we were moving dirt.

Laying the track, getting the sub roadbed down, leveling off the side of the hill.

Here we've leveled the size of a football field out of a hillside, we moved the dirt around all over as sub roadbed.

We have a 100, 104 foot long tunnel, we have a 155 foot long trestle.

They've been engineering challenges.

People bring their engines and cars and equipment.

Or they come by and visit and get a ride or something like, we just play trains and enjoy the fellowship of the hobby.

It's a great location.

Coshocton County has been a great place to be, it's convenient.

It's a good railroad town to be in, and we just have fun playing trains here.

Annc: For Dick, it's not just the camaraderie that makes this such a great hobby, but the size of the train itself.

It's one thing to stand and watch a layout, it's quite another to actually be able to sit on the train.

To actually ride your own coal-fired steam engine.

To see the steam and smell the smoke.

To feel the track and rails.

Dick has also been to over sixty similar layouts all around the country, which give him constant ideas for the next expansion project.

Dick: It's still growing.

There's more track to be put in, there's more industries to be put in.

It's going to be an operational railroad in which we actually do car order and sort cars and move cars around the railroad.

There's a logging line to be built, about a three thousand foot long track for a logging line, and there's an extension of the main line to go probably another half a mile of main line to put in.

Annc: A trip around this track takes about forty-five minutes.

From start to finish, it has taken Dick a lifetime.

And what a wonderful ride it has been.

Check the Mill Creek website for additional information.

Well that's it for this episode.

Please join us next time for more, Tracks Ahead.

Tracks Ahead Brought to you by Rancho de Tia Rosa,three unique Mexican restaurants serving culinary delights since 1990.

Walthers, manufacturer and supplier of model railroading products; serving the hobby since 1932.

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