Minutes from Department Meetings are located here.
HO Operations Committee info is located here.

THE HUDSON, DELAWARE AND OHIO
The HD&O is a major railroad (although, like the other two is fictitious) that operates between Pittsburgh, PA and Hoboken, NJ. Currently the railroad runs between Pittsburgh and Gilberton, PA, the east end of the layout. In between these two points heading east from Pittsburgh are Bellfonte and Jim Thorpe, PA, Morristown and Summit, NJ and Ashland, PA (please don't ask questions about geographic impossibilities). From Summit heading west is a branch line that terminates in Gladstone, NJ.

Click Here For Pictures From Pittsburgh
There is a heavy commuter operation across this railroad. There are also several long distance passenger trains as well as a large assortment of heavy freight trains. In Jim Thorpe there is an interchange with the TN where most of the interchanging between the two railroads is done. There is also a secondary interchange with the TN in Bernardsville, NJ on the Gladstone Branch were special shipment, like transformers, are interchanged. The third interchange on the HD&O is in Summit where the railroad interchanges with the Rahway River Railroad.

Click Here For Pictures Of Gilberton
Recently, The HD&O has seen some improvements.  In Pittsburgh the engine terminal has received several improvements.  Including a coaling track for steam engines, storage facilities for MOW equipment, and improved access to the mainlines for easier receiving and dispatching of locomotives.  The passenger station has been completed with a concourse for the passengers.  Air rights over the west end of the yards have been sold to developers. In Pittsburgh Freight the ice house is now in full operation.  In Bernardsville a new bakery is being built so suburbanites can have fresh bread in the morning.  Historical documents such as Sanborn keys and maps are used wherever possible to create buildings that are prototypical for the region being modeled.

 Recently an 0-6-0 was acquired by the HD&O to help with switching activities in the Gilberton yard.  It arrived on a flat car and the crew was so anxious to use it they didn't even let staff offload it before jumping into the cab.

TRENTON NORTHERN RAILROAD

The Trenton Northern is an interurban railroad running out of Ringoes, NJ. From Ringoes the TN extends in three directions. The Railroad heads west into PA to interchange with the HD&O in Jim Thorpe. Another lines heads in a southerly direction out of Ringoes to Trenton, NJ (the namesake town). The third line out of Ringoes extends east to Bernardsville for the secondary interchange with the HD&O.

Click Here For Pictures Of The Trenton Northern
Being a traction railroad, the TN utilizes overhead trolley wire to provide power to their motors (hence the transformers).  Even though the trolley wire is not used to provide electrical power its presence creates the illusion of a real inter-urban railroad.
Currently, the TN track gangs are busy installing new signals along the right-of-way.   The city of Trenton recently resurfaced their streets so TN trolleys are no longer hampered by the deteriorating streets within the city.

RAHWAY RIVER RAILROAD

Click Here For Pictures Of The Rahway River Railroad

The Rahway River currently has plans to relay their tracks in Kenilworth.  The project will include the replacement of rail, ties, ballast, and switches.  The railroad will also replace its engine house and build a new fueling facility.

All three railroads are run every Tuesday night during three hour operating sessions. Each operating session represents a eight hour period. This allows for three operating sessions to equal one complete day on the railroads (morning, evening, and night). Each railroad runs a schedule which is different for each of the three operating sessions. During these operating sessions we run the railroads as close to prototypical practices of the Steam-Diesel transition period as technologically practical. These practices help to create interesting and entertaining operations that keep our members attending every week.

The primary purpose of our operating sessions are to operate the HO layout in a manner that simulates a real railroad and its relationship with the rest of the world. Each train has a purpose.  There is no "toy train playing" here. Trains are operated in a realistic manner. This means that they are started slowly and travel across the layout at correct speeds making station stops as required . We use proper methods of communications. We use radios and phones to allow communications between engineers, tower men and the dispatchers. Wreck trains are dispatched to rerail wrecks rather then just rerailing by hand. Refers are sent to ice tracks to be iced with block ice before leaving. We send our engines to be serviced and refueled even though they are run by electric fuel.

We are currently performing several improvements to our layout.  We replaced our existing trees and shrubs with Scenic Express trees.  Electrical and track work on the Mauch Chunk Railway in Jim Thorpe is being completed.  Several new buildings and industries are being installed on various parts of the layout.  We also upgraded the layout with DCC systems to improve the operations of the railroads. 

The HO Department is administered by a number of operating groups, including the HO Operations Committee.   A new web page, specifically dedicated to their activities has recently been added to this website, and can be found by clicking on this link.  Additional sub-group pages will be added as they are developed.  Enjoy the information as we continue to expand our web offerings and provide to you, the visiting public, more information about our organization.

Construction of the addition (building) is complete.  There is plenty of work to be done on the layout extension.  Benchwork is being built as quickly as possible.  As in the original part of the layout, all of the track and switches will be hand-laid.  There will be years worth of scenery work to be done.  We invite anybody who is interested in building our layout addition to come to the Club and join.  We look forward to seeing you soon.

Operating sessions are open to members and approved guests only.
If you care to attend an HO operating session, please join or get invited by the department Chairperson or other BOD member.
New E-mail TMRCI_HO@tmrci.org