I stopped by the Lego display at Amherst.
January 25, 2026 at 12:09 AM
I stopped by the Lego display at Amherst.
Went to Southington to buy Lego and spotted the B&E switching across the street.
January 23, 2026 at 11:53 PM
Went to Southington to buy Lego and spotted the B&E switching across the street.
My newest engine represents the last CNE engine in service. 2353 was built in 1907 as Central New England number 103. It was renumbered 4 in 1912 and 2353 in 1927. By 1953, it had been rebuilt as an oil-burning saddle tank and was one of the last steam engines in service on the New Haven.
January 21, 2026 at 12:46 AM
My newest engine represents the last CNE engine in service. 2353 was built in 1907 as Central New England number 103. It was renumbered 4 in 1912 and 2353 in 1927. By 1953, it had been rebuilt as an oil-burning saddle tank and was one of the last steam engines in service on the New Haven.
This is important enough to me that I have two copies (I keep losing track of them).
January 2, 2026 at 11:42 PM
This is important enough to me that I have two copies (I keep losing track of them).
Central New England and Western 2, my newest engine, is ready for the holidays.
December 24, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Central New England and Western 2, my newest engine, is ready for the holidays.
My kingdom for a mug in the shape of Connecticut...
December 14, 2025 at 4:26 PM
My kingdom for a mug in the shape of Connecticut...
Amtrak 111 "Spirit of the Monroe Turnpike"
December 12, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Amtrak 111 "Spirit of the Monroe Turnpike"
I don't think I've shown this one off. New York, Providence, and Boston number 40 (originally named J.W. Miller) was built in 1887 for high-speed boat trains between Stonington and Providence. The axle added behind the driving wheels made her the first 4-4-2 "Atlantic" type engine.
December 8, 2025 at 9:58 PM
I don't think I've shown this one off. New York, Providence, and Boston number 40 (originally named J.W. Miller) was built in 1887 for high-speed boat trains between Stonington and Providence. The axle added behind the driving wheels made her the first 4-4-2 "Atlantic" type engine.
It's that time of year again.
December 1, 2025 at 4:36 PM
It's that time of year again.
Today marks the 80th anniversary of the first civilian helicopter rescue. Texaco Barge 397 broke free of her tow off Penfield Reef in Connecticut and ran aground. A YR-5A with a rescue hoist from the Sikorsky Aircraft Company in Bridgeport was sent to save the barge's crew.
November 29, 2025 at 11:16 PM
Today marks the 80th anniversary of the first civilian helicopter rescue. Texaco Barge 397 broke free of her tow off Penfield Reef in Connecticut and ran aground. A YR-5A with a rescue hoist from the Sikorsky Aircraft Company in Bridgeport was sent to save the barge's crew.
I tried to set my password as "Fitz-1975" at work and got this message.
November 6, 2025 at 1:50 PM
I tried to set my password as "Fitz-1975" at work and got this message.
I finally have pictures of my Halloween costume. Happy Halloween and watch out for the witch of November.
November 2, 2025 at 8:32 PM
I finally have pictures of my Halloween costume. Happy Halloween and watch out for the witch of November.
I got a new goober! New Haven Railroad 0809 was leased to the Connecticut Company for use in freight service in East Hartford, Connecticut. Now I just need to get a pair of street signs and find a place to run it.
October 15, 2025 at 5:10 PM
I got a new goober! New Haven Railroad 0809 was leased to the Connecticut Company for use in freight service in East Hartford, Connecticut. Now I just need to get a pair of street signs and find a place to run it.
Valuable information pops up in the strangest places. While at Metro-North's open house today, I found this in a history display. Depictions of 1830s American locomotives are rare, and on top of seeing the H&NH's first engines, I find out what the first run to Hartford was like.
October 5, 2025 at 12:18 AM
Valuable information pops up in the strangest places. While at Metro-North's open house today, I found this in a history display. Depictions of 1830s American locomotives are rare, and on top of seeing the H&NH's first engines, I find out what the first run to Hartford was like.
Authentic Indiana-style burrito.
September 23, 2025 at 12:26 AM
Authentic Indiana-style burrito.
Three tinclad gunboats, Barataria, Paw Paw, and New Era, are ready for an important assignment this weekend. They'll be joined by the Ironclads Carondelet and Chillicothe.
September 19, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Three tinclad gunboats, Barataria, Paw Paw, and New Era, are ready for an important assignment this weekend. They'll be joined by the Ironclads Carondelet and Chillicothe.
Went to a New Haven Railroad train show today, and while I didn't see this one picture of Meriden and Cromwell 1, I really wanted, I did walk away with this oddball: a New Haven Railroad barn lantern.
September 6, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Went to a New Haven Railroad train show today, and while I didn't see this one picture of Meriden and Cromwell 1, I really wanted, I did walk away with this oddball: a New Haven Railroad barn lantern.
Today I took Amtrak's new toy. It was a spur of the moment decision, but worth it. Got some goodies, and while New Haven to Stamford isn't long or fast, I could compare ride quality and interiors. The trainsets feel very European, which is the exact way we need to go with our trains.
August 29, 2025 at 1:48 AM
Today I took Amtrak's new toy. It was a spur of the moment decision, but worth it. Got some goodies, and while New Haven to Stamford isn't long or fast, I could compare ride quality and interiors. The trainsets feel very European, which is the exact way we need to go with our trains.
Wplace update: I've added a New Haven DL-109 in southern Rhode Island and the Pentewan Railway's engine Pentewan in it's namesake town in Cornwall. The Branford/Guilford I-5 has lettering under it and someone added the light. I assume the hearts are from people that like these.
August 23, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Wplace update: I've added a New Haven DL-109 in southern Rhode Island and the Pentewan Railway's engine Pentewan in it's namesake town in Cornwall. The Branford/Guilford I-5 has lettering under it and someone added the light. I assume the hearts are from people that like these.
The biggest thing I'll make for wplace: a New Haven Railroad I-5 class "Shoreline" streamlined passenger engine. It's well east of New Haven since I knew it would need a lot of real estate. Someone added the light at the front.
August 18, 2025 at 12:21 AM
The biggest thing I'll make for wplace: a New Haven Railroad I-5 class "Shoreline" streamlined passenger engine. It's well east of New Haven since I knew it would need a lot of real estate. Someone added the light at the front.
My contributions to wplace so far: the Derby Horse Railway's Electrical Line Motor near Derby, CT, Connecticut Coke Corp 3 at Westbrook, CT where it's displayed, a Vought-Sikorsky logo sited over the old plant in Stratford, and the Listowel and Ballybunion monorail near Listowel in Ireland.
August 14, 2025 at 6:02 PM
My contributions to wplace so far: the Derby Horse Railway's Electrical Line Motor near Derby, CT, Connecticut Coke Corp 3 at Westbrook, CT where it's displayed, a Vought-Sikorsky logo sited over the old plant in Stratford, and the Listowel and Ballybunion monorail near Listowel in Ireland.
I've seen this picture of New Haven 85, an interesting home-built ten-wheeler. I'm tempted to build a model back-dated to how it may have looked as-built in 1872, as Hartford and New Haven's 35 with the name Regulus. There'd be a lot of interesting lining on the tender, though.
August 8, 2025 at 4:32 AM
I've seen this picture of New Haven 85, an interesting home-built ten-wheeler. I'm tempted to build a model back-dated to how it may have looked as-built in 1872, as Hartford and New Haven's 35 with the name Regulus. There'd be a lot of interesting lining on the tender, though.
New Haven & Derby 1 is an engine I've always wanted to make, but the paint has been too intricate. The earlier photo shows a bird on a branch on the tender, a person on the headlight, and scrollwork on the sand dome. The later one shows less ornamentation, but there's some art on the headlight.
August 2, 2025 at 1:59 AM
New Haven & Derby 1 is an engine I've always wanted to make, but the paint has been too intricate. The earlier photo shows a bird on a branch on the tender, a person on the headlight, and scrollwork on the sand dome. The later one shows less ornamentation, but there's some art on the headlight.
This is why God doesn't love us anymore.
July 31, 2025 at 3:55 PM
This is why God doesn't love us anymore.