# A Ride on the RGS East



## Big65Dude (Jan 2, 2008)

Last Saturday dawned as a more-or-less typical, dreary, gray November day. Nevertheless, a bunch of the "faithful" showed up at Roger Cutter's fabulous *RGS East* outdoor layout in north central Maryland for the annual _Fall Run_. (Besides, Rog promised us some pretty good chili for lunch.) By mid-day, we were able to start a somewhat abbreviated operating session and I ran a passenger train ("The Rico Cannonball") across the line. 

Here are some shots of that trip:









The Rico Cannonball









The "hogger" on this trip was Casey Smith at the throttle of a T-19 bearing a strong resemblance to a *Berlyn RGS No. 20 *ten-wheeler.









We started out at the Fort Mallison depot with a tender full of water, six bags of mail, and 29 passengers.









The consist included our newest car, fresh from Jackson & Sharp - a combine based on a *Rio Grande Models UK *kit, modified to match the other coaches.









After leaving Fort Mallison, we cautiously approach the (as yet un-named) diamond crossing on the new upper loop.









Here we are, entering the big yard at Rico...









... where we passed the railroad president's inspection engine that was taking some "big wigs" on a tour of the line.









We crossed the big timber bridge north of Rico, ...









... rounded the curve on Mount Jordan, (that's "Red", the stoker, hanging his head out the cab window) ... 









... and stopped for more water at Tower No. 3. 

Hope you enjoyed the trip.


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## david bunn (Jan 4, 2008)

Love those pics. 
Bunny


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## Dave F (Jan 2, 2008)

Great pics. Thanks so much for sharing.


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## lotsasteam (Jan 3, 2008)

GREAT LAYOUT! Beautiful weathering ! 

Thanks , 

Manfred diel


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Great shots Jack. Luv 'em!


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## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

Wow! What an excellent photo journey! This would be a perfect candidate for "Great Garden Railway Journeys: A Photographic Album" (just a thought...)


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Great trains on a very nice layout. Such great backgrounds.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

_You've no idea how much trouble Jack had getting photos without 1:1 figures in the background! He wasn't the only one running trains._ 

P.S. Jack, it was a beautiful sight (and sound,) and the photos are fabulous.


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi Jack, 

Another vote of 'Thanks' for the photos - very impressive!


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## Richard Smith (Jan 2, 2008)

Besides the excellent models that is some fabulous photography. Great pix!!! Many thanks for the show.


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## Big65Dude (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Pete Thornton on 16 Nov 2009 02:38 PM 
_You've no idea how much trouble Jack had getting photos without 1:1 figures in the background! He wasn't the only one running trains._ 

More trouble than you might think, Pete. Thank goodness for Photoshop - it does come in handy from time to time.


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## Larry Green (Jan 2, 2008)

Nice pictures. Any chance of more shots of that inspection engine? 

Larry


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

So is Rog allowing live steam to run again? I heard he banned it after a live steamer speckled one of his newly painted sparkie locos with oily water.


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## Big65Dude (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Larry Green on 19 Nov 2009 09:22 AM 
Nice pictures. Any chance of more shots of that inspection engine?

Larry -

Just click on my name below and that will take you to my page on Dean Whipple's excellent web site where you can see more pix of it. Look for the "Engines" drop-down menu and click on the bottom option - "An 'Inspection' Engine."


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## Big65Dude (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Dwight Ennis on 19 Nov 2009 09:34 AM 
So is Rog allowing live steam to run again? I heard he banned it after a live steamer speckled one of his newly painted sparkie locos with oily water.








Dwight,

Not so. Roger is sticking to his "Battery Powered Only" policy - as far as I know. (Rog will probably confirm this - I will leave the last word to him.)


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## Big65Dude (Jan 2, 2008)

To all who have made nice comments about this posting - thank you very much. 

I'd also like to thank *Roger Cutter* for allowing us to have such access to his wonderful layout - the RGS East[/b]. It's a privilege I don't take lightly. I recommend that any and all of you take whatever opportunity you may have to visit Rog's beautiful farm in north central Maryland (about 10 miles north of Baltimore,) where all are welcome during his "open house" operation sessions.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

So is Rog allowing live steam to run again? 
_Just curious - what made you think it was live steam?_ 

Alas, Rog even rebuilt the flat live steam loop and scenic'd it (Jack's station stop) so I leave my steamers at home. Jack's paint jobs are also too neat to spoil! 

Lew Matt of Model Railroad Hobbyist was there taking lots of pics and video. I believe he's doing an article on the RGSEast for a future issue.


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

Just curious - what made you think it was live steam?I'm not sure I understand your question Pete. If you're asking me if I thought Jack's photos were of a live steam loco, no I didn't. I asked the question because the thread included discussion of Rog's layout, and this subject of live steam on same came up in a conversation I was having about a week back. 

BTW, I can understand Rog's decision and policy. I was just asking. Similar stuff is probably why most live steamers don't have highly detailed and weathered structures on their layouts. Specks of oily water go with the territory.


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

Oh yeah, EXCELLENT photos Jack!!


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

probably why most live steamers don't have highly detailed and weathered structures on their layouts. 
I thought steam oil and dirt *was* weathering. . .


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## Larry Green (Jan 2, 2008)

I agree, Pete! We don't need weathering powders and sound systems. 

Larry


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## GeorgeMMR (Jan 19, 2008)

Jack,
Many thanks for the great photos. Nice and clear and bright. Since a computer crash some time ago, I was in need of a good photo of a train crossing the timber trestle that I built to be used as a background for my desk top, and now here it is! So thanks for that as well; every time I start up the computer I get to look at your train crossing the bridge.
George Konrad


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Jack, 
Great models and a fine railroad. You've captured 'the feel' of railroading very well. 
You mentioned Vance Bass' cowcatchers, is there a link for those? I want to redo my C-16 so I can have a front coupler, but want to stay with 'wood' for the period. 
A great web site too. 

Thanks, 
John


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## Big65Dude (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Totalwrecker on 21 Nov 2009 07:55 AM 
Jack, 
Great models and a fine railroad. You've captured 'the feel' of railroading very well. 
You mentioned Vance Bass' cowcatchers, is there a link for those? I want to redo my C-16 so I can have a front coupler, but want to stay with 'wood' for the period. 
A great web site too. 

Thanks, 
John 
John -

One place (that I know of) that still has Vance's wooden pilots (cowcatchers) is Bronson Tate Architectural Models[/b]. Click HERE for a direct link.

If there are other vendors that carry these items, I'm not aware of them.

Good luck and have fun with your trains.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Jack thanks for the link. 
Looks like the short porter will do the trick. 

John


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## joe rusz (Jan 3, 2008)

What they said (great trains, beautiful railroad). Must be nice to have land bigger than the footprint of your house


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Must be nice to have land 
Joe - Roger's railroad is on a very small portion of the farm. Plenty of room the expand!


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