This is a photo of Dr. George N. Pierson, Associate Professor of Philosophy and railroad enthusiast. The photo was taken from the Trinity Christian College internet site.
Contributed by rkohler3 on 11/19/09 - Image Year: 2007
Dr. George N. Pierson is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Trinity Christian College in Illinois.
The following description of Dr. Pierson is taken from the Trinity Christian College internet site. "Everyone ought to have a hobby they can get lost in and feel like a kid. A train set is one of those hobbies, and Dr. George Pierson has one. In fact, he has a railroad system running in the basement of his home."
The philosophy professor devotes much of his attention to railroad history. He houses a model train layout that takes up three-quarters of his basement. He built a replica of the Tuscarora Valley Railroad, a defunct railroad system in central Pennsylvania. The model includes bridges, landscape, and figurines.
Railroad history enthralls Dr. Pierson so much that he published a book. Tommy Varner's Red Rooster tells the story about the Tuscarora Valley Railroad, whose last run occurred in 1934. He completed most of his research for his book during his time in Washington, D.C., doing graduate work. He accumulated information from original sources from that era: newspapers, government documents and financial records."
Dr. Pierson's modeling not only includes part of the Tuscarora Valley narrow gauge line but also part of the town of Port Royal.
Dr. Pierson's efforts were featured in the June 2009 issue RAILROAD MODEL CRAFTSMAN and he has provided photographs of parts of the layout that are attached to this thread.
If you copy and paste the following address into your browser, you can see a video of George's layout: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XHz0AHPGDU
Contributed by rkohler3 on 9/29/12 - Image Year: 2012
Dr. George Pierson with his display of TVRR memorabilia at the Port Royal Bicentennial Celebration September 29, 2012.
Contributed by ray on 9/29/12 - Image Year: 2012
Dr. George Pierson and Amelia (Hartman) McElwee with Dr. Pierson's display of TVRR memorabilia at the Port Royal Bicentennial Celebration September 29, 2012.
Contributed by rkohler3 on 11/19/09 - Image Year: 2009
This is the cover of RAILROAD MODEL CRAFTSMAN for June 2009 and it shows a Tuscarora Valley 4-4-0 No. 3 engine leading a mixed train through the town of Port Royal, Pennsylvania, and past an HO scale stone tavern that is typical of the buildings found in the area. Photo by George Pierson.
Contributed by ray on 11/19/09 - Image Year: 2009
This photo looks down on the main PRR station at Port Royal on George Pierson’s HO scale layout. The Railroad bridge is on the far left. In the center are the PRR passenger station and to its right, the Wisehaupt grain elevator; the PRR brick freight house is at the right. This is how these buildings looked around 1920. The other buildings in this scene are not exact copies of actual buildings in Port Royal. (Photo taken and submitted by Professor George N. Pierson.)
Contributed by rkohler3 on 11/19/09 - Image Year: 2009
This shows the planned layout for Dr. Pierson's modeling of Port Royal. The next image will show the layout design as it appeared when finished.
Contributed by rkohler3 on 11/19/09 - Image Year: 2009
This shows the design of Dr. Pierson's modeling layout of Port Royal as it appeared when finished.
Contributed by rkohler3 on 11/19/09 - Image Year: 2009
Photo of George Pierson’s HO scale model railroad includes some accurate model of Port Royal prototypes – the Hotel Royal on the left and the Wisehaupt grain elevator on the extreme right – but the view up Milford St. does not really look like this. And the TVRR did not actually cross Milford St. in the foreground or in the background, but Pierson added these features to his model railroad because of space and a desire to add interest to his model railroad operations. George Pierson photo
Contributed by rkohler3 on 11/19/09 - Image Year: 2009
This photo shows an HO scale model of the PRR freight house as it looked from the side closest to the PRR tracks. The loading platform ran the length of the building. The Wisehaupt grain elevator is on the left and the Hotel Royal appears in the background. That’s TVRR last #3, a 4-4-0, departing from the behind the freight house on George Pierson’s model railroad of the Tuscarora Valley RR. (Photo taken and submitted by Professor George N. Pierson.)
Contributed by rkohler3 on 11/19/09 - Image Year: 2009
George Pierson’s HO scale model of the PRR station at Port Royal and the surrounding buildings. The model makes some changes from the actual building layout of the town (the TVRR tracks never actually ran behind the PRR station, left) but the Hotel Royal (left), the mustard-colored house (center), the Wisehaupt grain elevator (right) and the PRR freight house just behind it are accurate copies of the prototype buildings in Port Royal as they looked in 1920. George Pierson photo.
Contributed by rkohler3 on 11/19/09 - Image Year: 2009
Hotel Royal as modeled in HO scale on George Pierson’s Tuscarora Valley RR model railroad layout. While the building itself is an accurate model of the real building, The surroundings have been modified to better fit the layout design. The real Tuscarora Valley RR did not run behind the hotel – but on Pierson’s layout, that’s TVRR second #3, a 2-8-0 engine which formerly operated on the East Broad Top RR. (Photo taken and submitted by Professor George N. Pierson.)
Contributed by rkohler3 on 11/19/09 - Image Year: 2009
Hotel Royal as modeled in HO scale on George Pierson’s Tuscarora Valley RR model railroad layout. While the building itself is an accurate model of the real building, The surroundings have been modified to better fit the layout design. The real Tuscarora Valley RR did not run behind the hotel – but on Pierson’s layout, that’s TVRR second #3, a 2-8-0 engine which formerly operated on the East Broad Top RR. (Photo taken and submitted by Professor George N. Pierson.)
Contributed by rkohler3 on 11/19/09 - Image Year: 2009
An HO scale model of the houses on the north side of Market St. – 204, 206, and 208 Market St. on George Pierson’s Tuscarora Valley RR model railroad layout. In George’s selective modeling of Port Royal, these house are in a different location and the TVRR tracks cross in the foreground, unlike the real Port Royal. That’s TVRR #2, the “J.M. Blair,” an 0-4-4T steam engine. (Photo taken and submitted by Professor George N. Pierson.)
Contributed by rkohler3 on 11/24/09 - Image Year: 1920
George Pierson’s HO scale model of the Tuscarora Valley Railroad office as it appeared about 1920.
Contributed by tblairpiano on 2/23/22 - Image Year: 2022
George. The video is great. How do I get in touch with you? Tim Blair. Blairs Mills, PA. (tblairpiano@gmail.com)
