Bloggin' Umholtz

Notes From The N.P.D. & S.

Ran across these short columns I wrote for the Pittsburgh Garden Railway Society a few years back and thought I'd share them with you.


         During my scholastic career (such as it was) I was required to read Notes From the Underground by Fyodor Dostoyevski. While I’m not sure at the time (or even now) I grasped the subtleties of the existentialist philosophy I did like the first sentence. It began “I am a sick man”. So with that thought in mind I begin.

         I am a silly man. Just today I had this reaffirmed by my wife. When she told me she loved me, I asked. "Why?" “Because you’re silly,” she replied. So it must be true. I’ve never known her to be wrong. Being what I’m sure is the farthest member east of the PGRS and having a schedule which greatly limits my free time I thought that this might be a way for you folks to learn a little about me and my railroad, the N.P.D. & S. Now, if you are reading this I can only surmise that the powers that be at the PGRS have agreed with me. And, based on what I’ve written so far, you’re probably beginning to agree with my wife. I intend to gradually bring you up to speed on the N.P.D.& S. At present it is mostly in my mind. But slowly, ever so slowly it is taking shape.

         I first became aware of, and interested in, large-scale trains after I got married. I have always had a love of trains. I grew up in a town in the eastern part of the state through which both the Erie Lackawanna and the Delaware and Hudson had right-of-ways. It made for an interesting childhood. One of my earliest memories is of a train ride from Scranton, PA to Newark NJ to visit my aunt. I don’t remember much about the visit but I remember the train. I remember going from car to car while it was moving and watching the world go by outside the passenger car window.

         We had the requisite train around the Christmas tree. It was a Marx … and… it belonged to my sister! Oh well… at least I got to chase the cat with it. I built a HO layout in my basement as an adolescent. 10 blocks, 20 switches, looked nice… ran little. Sold it to help pay for college. For the next 20 years or so I didn’t think much about trains. Then I got married, inherited an instant family, two boys. My wife said, “We need a train for under the Christmas Tree.” I said, “OK”. From time to time we looked at trains but saw nothing we could both agree on. She fell in love with N scale. I said “No Way! You wouldn’t even see it under the tree and my hands are too big to work on something that small.” I on the other hand couldn’t seem to find anything I liked. And the prices!!! I didn’t remember paying those kinds of prices when I was growing up. Then one day we were in a local hobby shop and sitting on the floor was an LGB starter kit. I thought, “Boy there’s a big train.” And the Prices! I was intrigued but not buying yet. My wife had pretty much come to the conclusion that if we were ever going to get a train for the Christmas tree she’d have to let me do it my way. (The one and only time that’s ever happened!) Over the next few months we ran into large-scale trains at a number of places. At the Horseshoe Curve, the Waffle King restaurant in Altoona and various other places. Then came the Damark catalog and Bachman… and a price I could live with. The N.P.D. & S. was born! Until next time…… Oh, the N.P. D. & S? Why it stand s for No Particular Destination & Schedule. I just like to watch the trains go round. After all, I am a silly man…

Next installment: Snow, Snow and more Snow!