The Home Machinist!

I very much liked Jim Leggett's conclusion that the track "was a victim of its own success". Further to that, I just got off the phone with someone who was a visitor to NELS/Danvers many times when he was a kid (1940s), who knew Lester and Joe Friend, and, who was one of Lester's "track painters and...

Jack, thanks.... This stuff was saved thanks to prior Friends Models owner Dick Boucher. He got the WLS stuff when WLS vacated its former site in 1996, and, he took Charlie's track back in 2008 ish. Without Dick B. much of this stuff would likely be gone, or would certainly have taken different path...

Yes Don, it's a WLS engine house. It will receive a much-needed rebuilding and be incorporated into the layout. 1005191801.jpg Here are some of Charlie's track sections, and a genuine Waushakum engine shed from the old WLS tracksite, at New Hampshire. The concrete footings that Charlie's track piece...

Jack, our track is 95' back and forth and will remain where it is for now. Charlie's track is a 275' loop and is in New Hampshire now. When the kids are grown and we sell our house, the 95 ft. track will be moved to whatever property we move to. It may be incorporated into a larger loop, or it may s...

Keith, as far as I know the box company is privately & locally owned. It is no longer in the Friend family, however. On the video that was posted above, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5rhjtoP7y4, Charlie Puriton's home track (in Byfield Massachusetts) is shown. I spent many hours here when I was a...

The former Yankee Shop/Friends Models on the left; Friend Box Co. on the right. December 11, 2019. 1211191253_HDR.jpg It's a winter wonderland out back so no photo of the remaining roadbed, etc. would have shown anything. I'll see what photos I can take in the springtime. If any of you want to see t...

Hello My Friends Thank you for the info and photos, very cool! That hi line looked like it was quite a run. I'll bet it was challenging for some of the smaller locos. Jack Jack, an interesting tidbit about smaller locos is that Charlie Purinton's Pennsylvania 0-4-0 "Jiminy Cricket" held (holds?) th...

Jack, Don's answer is probably as close to the truth as you'll be able to find. Nobody I've talked to, even people who were there, can confirm the date that it ended. 1958 is probably correct. Lester died in 1962 and for several years prior, his main focus was his 7-1/4" gauge RR around his home/est...

Joe Tanski wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 20, 2019 11:46 am

Thanks John ,
I am now building my second one,chassis now complete,starting on boiler
Joe

Nice photo! I'm still on my first one, but it's coming along great!

Mr. Banning, best wishes!

-John from Friends Models

Great loco; I'm enjoying every moment of building mine.

Group,

Several bronze parts are now available for, and included with, the cylinder section.

http://www.friendsmodels.com/productsfo ... ge420.html

Thank you.

-John
Friends Models