All posts by Terry Pitts

Terry is a retired school teacher, retired Army Reservist, and retired civilian Department of the Army Civilian working about half the time as a pilot and flight instructor. He has been flying since age 19, adding gliders in 2011. He's been an FAA certificated flight instructor since 2013.
Travel

Incredible Stuttgart Train Station

When I was a teenager in Stuttgart I enjoyed going to the Hauptbahnhof (main train station) and watching trains and people. Magazines from the news kiosks helped me learn German. Years later I saw a picture of the Stuttgart station modeled in N Scale (1/160) by Wolfgang Frey. I like passenger trains in N Scale, so this intrigued me.

A train station is a large building, so even at 160th actual size it requires a lot of space. I was surprised to read in the German model railroad press that this incredible model was “in a secret location” and not open for visitors. I’m not one to let “not open for visitors” get in my way, but I never found any way to contract Wolfgang Frey (If I were able to repeat those days I would have gone through the editor of the magazines).

Fast forward to today. Googling last summer while planning a trip to Germany I discovered, sadly, Wolfgang Frey had died, but his work was saved. I learned he not only modeled the train station, but about 500(!) surrounding buildings. No selective compression. Everything. I also learned the model had been relocated from its “secret location” (unused subway space) in Stuttgart to a public location in nearby Herrenberg, just a short walk from the train station. The exhibit is called “Stellwerk S” – control center S.

I was impressed. My usually-doesn’t-care-much-for-train-stuff wife was impressed. My German friend Jürgen was impressed.

I was impressed. My usually-doesn’t-care-much-for-train-stuff wife was impressed. My German friend Jürgen was impressed. The level of detail is incredible. The scale of the area covered is incredible. So many recognizable scenes. Imagining the amount of time put into the project is difficult – “about one building per week.”

The plastic lens mount on my 18-105mm Nikon lens broke. That was the only lens I took on the trip. So, the pictures are limited to iPhone shots. Still, they are worth a look.

If you have an interest in Stuttgart, passenger trains, N Scale models, or just operating dioramas, Stellwerk S is well, well worth the visit and the nominal cost of entry. Model railroad club members get a discount!

https://www.stellwerk-s.de/

Biographical

Looking for my Great Grandmother Mary Maley Edden

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I have two great grandparents who emigrated to the United States, one from Scotland and the other from Wales via Canada. The Scottish one’s parents were born in Ireland.

We spent today in the National Records of Scotland (Archives) in Edinburgh, Scotland. Melissa had far more success with her efforts than I did. Who knew there were so many people named Mary Maley!

My great grandmother came to the US from Scotland in 1923. Her name was Mary Maley until she married Leroy Edden in Philadelphia. Her mother was also Mary Maley, nee Haughey. I don’t know “Mr. Maley’s” first name.

My grandmother is Eleanor, the last person on the last row. I was looking for info on her brother, her parents, and grandparents.

The Maleys had two kids – my great grandmother Mary and her brother James. Every second person in my searches seemed to be a James or Mary Maley, living in the right part of the country. I’m no expert on Scotland’s counties, so I had to look them up for a while, too.

Scotland has had mandatory registration of births, deaths, marriages, etc. since 1855. Mary Haughey and “Mr. Maley” were born approximately 1860 and eventually married. You’d think those records would be easy to find. Uh, no. Younger Mary was born in 1887. She should be even easier. Should. James ten years later. Easier Peasier. Not.

Archives record data. Looking for “Haughey” and/or “Maley” buried in that old handwriting was time consuming!

Searches showed ages or birthdates. Sometimes they almost matched. Census records showed who lived in the home, but even when the names seemed right there could be five other children there. When I found “Mary Ann” of about the right vintage, I thought I had scored success; my mother was Mary Ann, and it would have made sense.

My goal was to find Mary’s brother James. He emigrated to the US. He shows up in the 1930 US Census with his mother, his sister, and the 15-year old girl who became my grandmother. All nice and neat. Everyone together. If only…

We arrived at the archives about 9:45, ate lunch there, and left just before they closed at 4:30. Interesting day. How did I do?

I thought I found James, but that Mary Maley who was his mother died in Scotland instead of emigrating to the US. None of the other hits on James worked either.

I “think” that “Mr. Maley,” the father of Mary and James and husband of Mary Haughey was also named James, but am not quite sure. I found a census with James Maley age 38 and James Maley age 15 that “mostly fits” what I think I know about their birthdates. It’s even in the right county.

Do you see “Haughey” on here?

Mary Haughey was born in 1860, making her 11 for the 1871 census. I found an 11-year old Mary Haughey on the 1871 census with parents born in Ireland, living in the right community.

Could it be? I hope so. I was looking for James or my great grandmother, but ended up finding their mother as a pre-teen. Hello great, great grandmother!

Met a super helpful guy named Jimmy at the archives. He really helped us get started!

Also, I’ve learned we still have distant relatives in Wales farming sheep. Next trip!