Ralph Carlson’s layout

[Charles Duckworth]

Back in the late 1970’s I was traveling quite a lot to Brownsville, Texas to help alleviate the congestion on cars moving across the border. Due to the time of year sometimes you flew directly into Brownsville and other times into Harlingen. I recall the Brownsville airport having DC-3 and the Curtis C-46 on the runway.

Ralph Carlson lived in Combes, Texas just north of Harlingen. I’d visit Ralph and got through his extensive negative collection and pick up subjects to be printed that Fall, Winter and Spring. Ralph wouldn’t print in the summer due to the Texas heat.

Behind Ralph’s home was a white framed building that contained his large HO scale layout. The rolling stock was your typical 1940-1950 vintage with cardboard pressed sides or pressed tin sides on the Walthers passenger cars. Couplers were a horn and ring design. Ralph had modified commercial steam locomotive kits. One I remember was a 4-8-4 that he’d filed off the metal domes and dripped solder on the boiler to make up domes to resemble a 2200. Same with a 1400 and a Mopac 4-6-2 all having a MP family look. Unfortunately I never took photos of his layout but I’m sure he had to have been written up in the period model railroad magazines.

Ralph had a peanut vending business which took him all over south Texas. As he traveled he was prolific in recording whatever was on rail. Mopac was his favorite road and his negative collection reflected as such. After Ralph’s passing his collection when to the Denver Public Library.

Here’s more information on Ralph and his layout.
http://eadsrv.denverlibrary.org/sdx/pl/doc-tdm.xsp?id=WH1292_d0e33&fmt=text&base=fa

[Jerry Michels]

It sure seems the collection at the DPL needs to be searched, and not just for pictures. Lots of paper information it seems. It might have some very interesting information on the ART in the Rio Grande Valley, and MoPac freight traffic.

Jerry Michels

[Author]

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