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Has anybody noticed that the coal trains are being replaced by tank trains?

Thu, 2021-09-09 06:45 — rideupjeep

I walk in a park bordered by the BNSF main line into Kansas City and there is a noticeable decline in coal trains but an increase in tank trains. Also noticed that there is a covered hopper as the first and last car in a tank train, what are they for? Also have seen a lot of equipment in very used condition heading west, some of it so old the graffiti has faded away to unreadable. Just yesterday there was a BNSF unit that the paint had faded back to the Santa Fe colors.

Michael H

11 comments

Blog index for Eric H.

Thu, 2021-09-09 06:38 — Eric H.

As the date nears to move to the new Forum platform, I thought I'd review my posts. I didn't think I made any as a blog, but I was wrong. Here's a short index. A couple of these go way back to the earliest days of the MRH Forum.

Modeling a weed spray train

Sun, 2021-09-05 19:08 — rrfaniowa

Does anyone know where I could find information about weed spray trains? ie: the types of cars in the train and their look and/or features and dimensions? I wonder if any prototype information has ever been published in past years? Any help would be appreciated.

Scott Thornton
www.facebook.com/groups/milanbranch

11 comments

IAIS's 4th Sub - Layout tour

Sat, 2021-09-04 07:53 — IAISfan

Now that the stained ties make it easier to see the tracks, I thought I'd do a quick drone tour to show how everything fits together on the new layout. Photos to follow in the first reply, but here's the layout plan again to help make sense of it all.

Locomotive weight on switch point

Mon, 2021-08-30 05:57 — Mustangok

Are there rules or any consideration given to stopping a locomotive on a switch? My internet search turned up a lot of info about models on switches (electrical issues!, derailment issues!) but no real answer to my question for the real thing. I've read that some switches have their own speed limits and I was curious about other limits we could simulate on our models.

In some cases on my layout, due to length of spur and cut of cars, the locomotive could end up stopped on a switch during the uncoupling.

Southern Pacific Coal Cars

Fri, 2021-08-27 17:02 — Karle Mahler

I'm looking for information about what type or types of cars the Southern Pacific was using to carry coal on its Rio Grande Division between Tucumcari, NM. and Douglas, Az. during the late 1940's. I have Tony Thompson's books covering SP freight cars but nothing states, specifically, what cars were used. Conversely, articles about hauling coal say very little about the equipment used. Any help would be greatly appreciated.