DAVE RENARD'S SYLVANIA CENTRAL!
Railroad courtesy of Dave Renard.
Photos by Ed Houk with Dave's assistance.

The coal mine Dave scratch builds about everything including this coal mine scene. Dave grew up around Reading territory so his freight loco paint scheme resembles that road. This Alco is moving some hoppers around while the boys on the platform chat. SC E8 by Life-Like moves easily past an industrial neighborhood. This is Dave's elegant passenger paint livery. Dave names many of his industries and structures after friends. E8's continue their journey past several industries. Once again, all these structures are scratch built. Not surprisingly Dave is an NMRA Master Model Railroader. The E8's arrive at one of several stations on the railroad. Passengers can descend the stairs to await the train at the river. Of course the bridge is scratch build. Dave's material of choice is styrene. The only thing I have not seen him build is a fired steam loco, but I expect one any day now. Santa Fe 950 is my C40-8 which Dave allowed to visit his layout. I couldn't have chosen a nicer layout to showcase some of my favorite locos. A pair of Dash8's pass the small depot in another industrial area. Seeing Santa Fe's on the Sylvania Central is a rare treat, especially when the SC is set in the early 60's in the East. That's the nice thing about a model railroad, flexibility. SF 950 We were lucky to catch 950 passing the depot on a return trip. I built this unit and the sister unit 814 on Overland frames. The shell is from Railpower. I have alot of hours in those babies. The Dash8s move by the largest station on the layout. Of course Dave scratch built it too. The sky is from a photo I took in Altoona, PA in October 1999 while the "Stamp Train" was there. I can't pass up an opportunity to play with the photos. SF 814 Dash-8 814 prepares to cross the river on a wooden trestle. There's that darn railfan again. At least he's not treapassing on railroad property. SF 814 Emerges from a tunnel and glides pass several structures. Dave hand layes most of his track work including cross-overs and turnouts. SP 8102 This is a stock Athearn SP Dash-9 that I detailed. I'm not really an SP fan but it was a snowy Winter and I needed a project. These were the first Dash-9s Athearn released in our area. SP 8102 The Dash-9 runs light through a grade crossing. About the photos, they were taken with Kodak Max 400 film in fluorescent lighting. I used a Hoya FL-W filter. Trolley The trolley was scratch built by Dave for a member of his railroad group who has since passed away. The trolley is operational and a beautiful piece of workmanship. GP30s A pair of Sylvania Central GP 30s drag a freight past an interlocking tower. This tower also guards a bridge over a river.