Prototype information
Question on 1960s-1980s UP diesel locomotives
What would be the most common diesel locomotive that Union Pacific would have been using in the grain belt during the 1960s-1980s for operations? The SD40 was a latecomer, and -2s weren't out yet. SD24s? GP9s? GP30s? GP35s? None of these?
I used the yearly listing in UtahRails.net and saw these as common acquisitions during the late '50s and '60s.
Any input would be appreciated.
Unfortunately, what I have now are post 1980s and covered wagons. Go figure. (exceptions, an SD40 and GP38)
"Kicking" freight cars (was "Launching...")
Since there is a lot of experience available within MRH forum I'll ask this here. What is the deal with switching cars by pushing them into a free rolling collision with the rest of the train?
I don't know how, or if this could be modeled, or even if such a thing would be wanted; but I have now seen GP locomotives "launching" freight cars in three different states of the union.
Is this legit? Legal? Widespread? Or were these guys taking big risks?
Prototype Comparisons
Its always a unique experience when you work with the same locomotive on your day job as the one you model at home. While its always tricky to capture the correct angle one would get from a ground perspective, I tried to match them as much as possible in the following images...
What's on Your Workbench - May 2021
We move into the month of May ready for your progress reports. Let's see the latest from your workbench and layout!
Eric
Eric Hansmann
Contributing Editor, Model Railroad Hobbyist
Follow along with my railroad modeling:
http://designbuildop.hansmanns.org/
The Vertical Tram at Bingham.
The Vertical Tram at Bingham, what a fun thing to ride. The Bingham and Garfield Railroad line came in high above the town of Bingham. To get the passengers down the mountain they built this neat vertical tram. After passenger service was discontinued the employees used the tram.
proto short lines
I have goggled "the shortest short line railroad in the U.S.." the dates on results go back to roughly 2007 to 2010 , there was even a previous post of mine "do short lines get enough modeling attention" I am still a huge short line railroad fan...(7 x 16 what choice do I have??) Anyways...there is some good info on short lines out there but Id like to ask does anybody have any more current info on short lines that have not been abosrbed by larger roads and if anybody has some nice photos of their own short line model railroads please share I am at a modeling block could
KCS Layouts
Since Kansas City Southern has been in the news lately about a possible merger with either the Canadian Pacific or Canadian National, it made me wonder if there were any layouts built that primarily featured KCS.
Nothing came to mind, but I found a couple:
1. An excellent layout featuring the KCS 3rd Subdivision in Oklahoma set in 1982.
Dominos Sugar plant operations, Baltimore, MD
In another thread about Salt operations there was this mention, but I didn't want cloud that thread with my response.
eastwind said:
Did you hear about the fire that destroyed (?) the historic Domino Sugar company plant right on the Baltimore harbor? There were some overhead pictures but I didn't see any rails. I was wondering if any sugar was ever shipped in and out of there by hopper.
Tight turns
How tight of a real life turn is still workable?
I have no idea how to calculate what radius turn this would be when converted to various model railroad scales, but it looks more severe than an 18" in HO.
The Google image is along the mainline of the Stillwater Central Railroad near Wheatland, OK, now a WATCO shortline. The turnout leads to a few rail served small industries to the north, and some of the spurs to those leave at a 90 degree angle. Tank cars, boxcars, covered hoppers, and lumber racks make a weekly appearance.
prototypical question
How prototypical was a factory fresh modernized 40 foot box car, (no roof walks shorter ladders) ..Im not referring to an old owned railroad company modified box car but a fresh out of the factory forty footer no roof walk etc?
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