Ken Lawrence's Westchester Northern: NYC Area Electrics in HO

Our latest 'Juice in the Wild' post takes us to Ken Lawrence's Westchester Northern. I really enjoy checking out the photos of this HO heavy electric layout--it's a shelf layout not unlike mine in size and it features a free-lance concept that draws together a couple of different prototypes from the New York City area and beyond.

The free-lance thing has kind of gone by the wayside in 21st century model railroading  (a loss, by my lights), but Ken pulls it off with aplomb. Many of us heavy electric fans got our early inspiration from a very famous--and freelanced--O scale traction layout, Bob Hegge's Crooked Mountain lines. Ken's work carries on a very proud tradition.

Of note, Ken used a home brew of scratch built and Sommerfeldt catenary products from Germany for his catenary.

Ken Lawrence's layout features heavy electric rolling stock from around the US, and makes great use of
European heavy electric components such as overhead wire and pantographs. This former Cleveland Union
Terminal motor appears to be equipped with German Sommerfeldt pantographs, and is running under
catenary that blends Sommerfeldt wire  components with scratch built US prototype poles.
Photo courtesy Ken Lawrence/ RAILROAD.NET