Abrams Railroad Empire

Marshall Abrams
May 24, 2009
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On Memorial Day Weekend, dozens of visitors came to see the Abrams Railroad Empire and imperial it was! Marshall Abrams and his crew demonstrated and dispatched trains, varnish and freight, before fascinated youngsters, delighted parents and Potomac Division modelers. Thirty-three persons registered, but many brought entire families, pushing the total well beyond.

The layout is operation-intensive and electrically sophisticated. Scratchbuilt dwarf signals indicate the way switches are thrown; command control permits realistic operation and repeater signals facilitate operation. Push buttons, LED indicators, power boosters and wireless throttles are everywhere, making operation straightforward and understandable.

Marshall's background skyline frames a portion of the layout, photographically correct, just as described in his convention clinics. And there's always something new, a carefully crafted chain link fence (boasting ivy and kudzu) or a space reserved for a construction site-one that will begin construction below the surface, prototypically correct.

Bill Demas, one of Marshall's crew, said that he had seldom seen so many junior engineers at an open house, evidence of Marshall's policy of inviting the neighborhood as well as veteran modelers. Judging by this event, the future of model railroading is secure. One pint size engineer left as contented as the Chessie kitten. "I ran an engine," he beamed, and, of course, that's what it's all about.

-- Bill Day

Panorama
Panorama

Panorama
Babel caboose tracks
Babel caboose tracks

Babel caboose tracks
Babel Yard
Babel Yard

Babel Yard
North & East Babel
North & East Babel

North & East Babel
South Babel & Bergen
South Babel & Bergen

South Babel & Bergen
New Rochelle & West Babel
New Rochelle & West Babel

New Rochelle & West Babel
West Babel Yard
West Babel Yard

West Babel Yard
Carnegie & Carol Gardens
Carnegie & Carol Gardens

Carnegie & Carol Gardens
Carnegie commercial buildings
Carnegie commercial buildings

Carnegie commercial buildings
Carnegie sidings 2
Carnegie sidings 2

Carnegie sidings 2
Carnegie sidings 3
Carnegie sidings 3

Carnegie sidings 3
Tunnel under Carnegie
Tunnel under Carnegie

Tunnel under Carnegie
Operating Marshal Yard
Operating Marshal Yard

Operating Marshal Yard
Dike Straw loading platform
Dike Straw loading platform

Dike Straw loading platform
Ken's Storage, Marshal
Ken's Storage, Marshal

Ken's Storage, Marshal
Marshal commuter platform & yard
Marshal commuter platform & yard

Marshal commuter platform & yard
Dock & warehouses
Dock & warehouses

Dock & warehouses
Marshal Yard throat
Marshal Yard throat

Marshal Yard throat
Marv's Software Engineering
Marv's Software Engineering

Marv's Software Engineering
Mike Zass parking lot
Mike Zass parking lot

Mike Zass parking lot
Oedipus Wrecks & Carnegie
Oedipus Wrecks & Carnegie

Oedipus Wrecks & Carnegie
Oedipus Wrecks 2
Oedipus Wrecks 2

Oedipus Wrecks 2
Oedipus wrecks detail
Oedipus wrecks detail

Oedipus wrecks detail
Oedipus Wrecks
Oedipus Wrecks

Oedipus Wrecks
Tom's & Carnegie
Tom's & Carnegie

Tom's & Carnegie
Tom's & Oedipus close up
Tom's & Oedipus close up

Tom's & Oedipus close up
Tom's Iron & Steel panorama
Tom's Iron & Steel panorama

Tom's Iron & Steel panorama
Tom's Iron & Steel
Tom's Iron & Steel

Tom's Iron & Steel
Details at Tom's Iron & Steel
Details at Tom's Iron & Steel

Details at Tom's Iron & Steel
Tom's, Carnegie, Carol Gardens 2
Tom's, Carnegie, Carol Gardens 2

Tom's, Carnegie, Carol Gardens 2
Vienna 2
Vienna 2

Vienna 2
Vienna close up
Vienna close up

Vienna close up
Dewey, Cheatum & Howe
Dewey, Cheatum & Howe

Dewey, Cheatum & Howe
Vienna detail
Vienna detail

Vienna detail
Vienna
Vienna

Vienna
Bill Day presenting certificate
Bill Day presenting certificate

Bill Day presenting certificate
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