Newest Additions to Locomotive Roster ...

[Iron Horseman]

OK so lets get back on track since we seem to be wandering a bit (partly my fault). srt

The rabbit trails are part of the fun of the thread...

It's sort of famous.

I'm envious. The closest thing I have to a sort of famous locomotive would be the Hiawatha 4-4-2 used in Bob Williams video of "Western Streamliners".

I don't do much D&RGW, but it is a Western road, and I can always find something for it to do at the club!

Story I've heard of the D&RGW, but I cannot recall the source ... The Rio Grande was no stranger to the Challenger class of locomotives. They had their own L-105 class since 1937 and loved them. During the war effort they ordered more, but instead of the beloved L-105 type the war board dictated the UP design which were designated L-97. The Grand crews hated them. Down on both power and tractive effort, they did not handle the mountains well. Consequently the locomotives were not purchased but only leased until the end of the war. As soon as the war board let them end the lease, they were quickly shuffled off the to the Clinchfield.

Your locomotive looks really good. I've not been brave enough to attempt to weather a steam locomotive yet. Mine is still glowing shiny black. Below I tried to get a shot of it with the neon Rio Grande sign in the background at the museum's "Rio Grande Days" a few years ago. Mine didn't run for years and years because of them MRC brilliance decoder that Athearn put in them. I put it on the track. Dialed up channel 3. Drove it over to the programming track. Attempted to program it, and it wouldn't work. Wouldn't reset. Wouldn't do anything. I spent hours and hours trying every programming mode / reset sequence on several different DCC systems. Disgusted I threw it in a box and ordered a new Tsunami decoder for it. Years later, I pulled it out to begin the conversion. For some reason I put it on the track and ... It ran fine.?!? So it still has the original electronics. The museum layout has 44" minimum radius curves and most are much larger so I've not noticed the dual articulation effect at all.

 

[Iron Horseman]

Here is my newest; MTH 80-2234-1 GP-35 HO locomotive.

There is a ubiquitous locomotive for any railroad from the early 1960s through present day. Some would say the last of the 1st generation EMDs.

 

[Espeefan]

The rabbit trails are part of the fun of the thread...

I'm envious. The closest thing I have to a sort of famous locomotive would be the Hiawatha 4-4-2 used in Bob Williams video of "Western Streamliners".

Story I've heard of the D&RGW, but I cannot recall the source ... The Rio Grande was no stranger to the Challenger class of locomotives. They had their own L-105 class since 1937 and loved them. During the war effort they ordered more, but instead of the beloved L-105 type the war board dictated the UP design which were designated L-97. The Grand crews hated them. Down on both power and tractive effort, they did not handle the mountains well. Consequently the locomotives were not purchased but only leased until the end of the war. As soon as the war board let them end the lease, they were quickly shuffled off the to the Clinchfield.

Your locomotive looks really good. I've not been brave enough to attempt to weather a steam locomotive yet. Mine is still glowing shiny black. Below I tried to get a shot of it with the neon Rio Grande sign in the background at the museum's "Rio Grande Days" a few years ago. Mine didn't run for years and years because of them MRC brilliance decoder that Athearn put in them. I put it on the track. Dialed up channel 3. Drove it over to the programming track. Attempted to program it, and it wouldn't work. Wouldn't reset. Wouldn't do anything. I spent hours and hours trying every programming mode / reset sequence on several different DCC systems. Disgusted I threw it in a box and ordered a new Tsunami decoder for it. Years later, I pulled it out to begin the conversion. For some reason I put it on the track and ... It ran fine.?!? So it still has the original electronics. The museum layout has 44" minimum radius curves and most are much larger so I've not noticed the dual articulation effect at all.

View attachment 30699
Your history matches with mine. A short tenure on the D&RGW, then on to the Clinchfield. Lots of locos suffered the same fate. The B-1's short career on the SP, and some N&W articulateds on the Pennsy which the crews hated and did their best to get rid of before upper management found out how much one would pull. Glad you like the weathering job. Would you believe I did that whole thing in about 45 minutes? I used the Iwata weathering set, and some grays from the photo gray set. The water colors are really user friendly. Just wash them off if you don't like what you see, even the next morning. I got a photo off of Railfan.net and just went for it. I was a bit nervous as they were filming the whole time, but it came out well. As far as fame goes, well, that's where the "sort of" comes in. It was on TV. If you watch Trainmasters site they have sales. You can binge watch all day for a buck sometimes. if you ever do that, watch that series. We had a lot of fun doing it. I'd suggest just a flat coat on yours if you feel comfortable enough. You'd be surprised how much difference that makes by itself on a steamer.

I have a D&RGW L-125 a friend gave me. it's a brass model and it's in pieces. He took it all apart to paint and never got around to it. I need to paint that one and put it back together some day! Looking at their home grown articulated locos, I can see why they didn't like the Challengers! Those things were massive.

Aren't we lucky to have access to clubs with such large minimum radii? My club has 48" minimum, so I don't notice the double articulation effect either, but I don't like the missing plumbing to the rear engine cylinders.

 

[Iron Horseman]

Aren't we lucky to have access to clubs with such large minimum radii? My club has 48" minimum, so I don't notice the double articulation effect either

That is for certain. When I first started planning my "dream" layout I was going for 30" radius. Then I joined a club which had 36" and I thought that was the best. Now being at the museum I'm really liking the 40" plus curves. The passenger trains look so much better on them. I'm wondering if I should go with 10 degree curves (66" radius? in HO scale) when I finally get around to building.

 

[Sirfoldalot]

I like the GP35's, they're "Chunky".

YEAH! The Frisco GP-35'S of the Black and Yellow era with the roof mounted air tanks looked downright "sinister and brutish".

 

[tootnkumin]

That is for certain. When I first started planning my "dream" layout I was going for 30" radius. Then I joined a club which had 36" and I thought that was the best. Now being at the museum I'm really liking the 40" plus curves. The passenger trains look so much better on them. I'm wondering if I should go with 10 degree curves (66" radius? in HO scale) when I finally get around to building.

I have seen on Y/tube, outdoor HO layouts.

YEAH! The Frisco GP-35'S of the Black and Yellow era with the roof mounted air tanks looked downright "sinister and brutish".

Have to look for pics of them, sound interesting.

 

[Sirfoldalot]

Here's a couple - TOOT!

 

[tootnkumin]

Here's a couple - TOOT!

I thought you might . There was a guy at one of the buy&sells a few years ago, had an SD26 (AT&SF I think) that highly tempted me because of the "torpedoes" on it's back. That red and white scheme sure was high-vis. MR mag featured the City's Edge layout once and produced a pic with 3 locos in that for a desktop background. Buried somewhere in my files.

 

[Espeefan]

That is for certain. When I first started planning my "dream" layout I was going for 30" radius. Then I joined a club which had 36" and I thought that was the best. Now being at the museum I'm really liking the 40" plus curves. The passenger trains look so much better on them. I'm wondering if I should go with 10 degree curves (66" radius? in HO scale) when I finally get around to building.

At my club with the 48" minimum radius, I can operate my Daylight train (MTH cars) with the couplers set to "close" which allows the full width diaphragms to touch as they did on the prototype. That train looks awesome when it runs, if I do say so myself! We do have a curve that large at the club, and it looks great, but for a home layout I'm wondering if, other than the look of it, it would be worth the penalty you'd pay in real estate. Maybe just one on the layout where guests first come in.

 

[Iron Horseman]

At my club with the 48" minimum radius, I can operate my Daylight train (MTH cars) with the couplers set to "close" which allows the full width diaphragms to touch as they did on the prototype. That train looks awesome when it runs, if I do say so myself! We do have a curve that large at the club, and it looks great, but for a home layout I'm wondering if, other than the look of it, it would be worth the penalty you'd pay in real estate. Maybe just one on the layout where guests first come in.

My layout space is upwards of something like 45'x94', or I can build another building to the west as large as I want. But you are right, after getting this space I'm having second thoughts after working at the museum. We have a crew of 6 people that spend 5-6 hours every Monday cleaning track, trains, dusting scenery, and doing repairs. Even if I could get something like that built in the next 20 years, it could be a full time job just maintaining a pike of that size.

 

[Iron Horseman]

YEAH! The Frisco GP-35'S of the Black and Yellow era with the roof mounted air tanks looked downright "sinister and brutish".

The roof mounted air tanks allow room for a larger fuel tank.

 

[Iron Horseman]

I have seen on Y/tube, outdoor HO layouts.

If I go outside I think i'll go with 7.5" or 15" gauge stuff that I can ride on.

 

[Boris]

In that regards, LOUIS, You should be a Bronco Fan as well?

That's Heresy ! Sherrel. Football is the color Purple!

meanwhile,

I like the E-1s and the Alco (of Course). I have the same PC unit painted for the PC...I needed one for my Grays Ferry crew.

When the, now defunct, Tidewater Grain Company took over the old PRR Girard Point Grain Elevator, they bought two Paducah rebuilt GP10s. This was a Conrail scheme to eliminate captive switching crews. Along with several other managers, I spent four months on their property training their employees to run their railroad. Another similar incident, was at the Budd Company's Red Lion Plant, (Home of all the famous Budd Built LW streamliners). The plant was served by a mostly captive ex Reading Traveling Switcher known as the "Philmont Job". Budd brought in one of their SW-800 switchers from Detroit, and I had the "honor?" of training their workers to run the engine. What was neat was watching CTA subway cars, SVP2000 coaches, bodies for the AM-7 and Superliners (from an incomplete Pullman standard order) being assembled.

The Ford, GM and Chrysler plants I was involved with, were switched by railroad crews, rather than their own crews. Just about every steel mill I ever encountered had their own proprietary rail operation. Didn't matter if the mill was large (USS - Beth Steel etc.) or small NJ Steel or Raritan River Steel.

Now, a word on curves, and passenger cars. If you have for 66" radius, fantastic. I managed to fit in 32" radius curves, and even the 68' Reading prototype Coaches overhang excessively to a critical viewer. Wonder what they would think of the prototype overhang in Penn Coach yard ?
Since I don't do clubs, I have to live with it, and pretty much stick with passenger trains made up of Reading Coaches and head end cars, or PRR MP54s. That doesn't mean I won't sneak in a couple of 85' cars.

Back to the "original" covered wagons for the B&O and ATSF, the prospect of an A-B set of early B&O EAs once interested me. They still exist (sort of) in the B&O museum in Baltimore. They must have really looked good hauling consists of rebuilt matched Blue & gray streamlined HW sleepers and coaches.

Boris

 

[tootnkumin]

My layout space is upwards of something like 45'x94', or I can build another building to the west as large as I want. But you are right, after getting this space I'm having second thoughts after working at the museum. We have a crew of 6 people that spend 5-6 hours every Monday cleaning track, trains, dusting scenery, and doing repairs. Even if I could get something like that built in the next 20 years, it could be a full time job just maintaining a pike of that size.

Being in a club, sort'a reminds me of a line from that song from "My Fair Lady", "With a little bit of luck, someone else will do the bloomin' work".

 

[Iron Horseman]

Back to the "original" covered wagons for the B&O and ATSF, the prospect of an A-B set of early B&O EAs once interested me. They still exist (sort of) in the B&O museum in Baltimore. They must have really looked good hauling consists of rebuilt matched Blue & gray streamlined HW sleepers and coaches.

Especially considering the time 1937! Black model-A automobiles, mostly just black locomotives, Pullman olive drab green passenger cars.... Wow, they must have been show stoppers when one came speeding through town.

 

[Iron Horseman]

Being in a club, sort'a reminds me of a line from that song from "My Fair Lady", "With a little bit of luck, someone else will do the bloomin' work".

That's the truth, but a club needs the "stand around and chat with guests" type people too.

 

[tootnkumin]

That's the truth, but a club needs the "stand around and chat with guests" type people too.

Yes, that's cost me time running trains too.

 

[beiland]

I got one of these about 6 months ago, but I've only had a chance to run it once on a freind's layout as my is not up yet.

I hope it will negotiate all my curves

 

[DakotaLove39]

I posted this over in my thread on the Showin Off section, but I'll bite and post it here with some explanation also.

This is Milwaukee Road Baldwin AS616 #567 from Bowser.

I'm not really a Baldwin fan. My favorites have always been EMD's, but this loco struck me as interesting because of its similarity to SD7's and 9's, which I adore. Based on typical sources, Milwaukee Road only had six of these locos and three of them were committed to pulling trains out of the Ford plant in St. Paul, MN. My ethos with model railroading so far has been to collect my favorite stuff which has some kind of connection to my home state. The photo above of the real 567 was actually taken on the northwest side of the Twin Cities, so clearly 567 spent a lot of time around Minnesota.

Not only is 567 relevant to my interests and my home, but the model also represents the first official step on a new path for my model railroading. Until I bought this loco I was collecting a little of everything but mostly focused on the Post-2000 world, with BNSF and UP trains. Lately I felt the need for a change and a real directive so I chose my up-and-coming favorite, the MILW, and set my sights on the 1970's. So far I am not regretting my decision. I get to collect cars (and maybe small numbers of local locos) from other companies that are no longer seen, such as PennCentral, Chessie System, Western Pacific, GN and others.

The real 567 was likely retired or scrapped by 1974, but I intend for mine to serve all throughout the 1970's, maybe even into the 1980's if I'm feeling up to that.

 

[Boris]

Especially considering the time 1937! Black model-A automobiles, mostly just black locomotives, Pullman olive drab green passenger cars.... Wow, they must have been show stoppers when one came speeding through town.

Horseman: Yeah, really. My love affair with the B&O began in the 50s, when I would go on walks to the park with my Dad on Saturday afternoons. The B&O passenger station was in close proximity to the Northern limits of the park, and we would find ourselves there for the scheduled stop of the Southbound (Westbound), Train 5, the Capitol Limited. This train East (North) of DC, was mainly a corridor train with coaches and parlor buffet car, but it carried the two through sleepers from Jersey City to Chicaho, and the Columbian's through JC to Chicago lightweight coach to DC. Behind the E-7 AA, were around 12 to 14 head end cars, LW through cars and HW cars from JC to DC, all painted blue and gray.

This was a pleasant contrast to the uniform Tuscan red of the PRR six blocks to the South.

I'm not really a Baldwin fan. My favorites have always been EMD's, but this loco struck me as interesting because of its similarity to SD7's and 9's, which I adore.

Interesting. No two Baldwins are exactly alike. We had two AS-616 units for use on the hump at Edgemoor during the early Penn Central era. These were ex PRR refugees from Pittsburgh. PRRs were equipped with 6 traction motors, while similar AS-16s on the Reading and PRSL had four wheel trucks and 4 motors. I believe the MILW unit you pictured had four motors and two idler axles. All were rated at 1600 hp. Baldwins primarily used Westinghouse traction motors, which enabled them to out pull Alco and EMD power of similar rating. That's why they were found in coal country.

BTW, nice photos of the prototype and model. My grandfather worked for Baldwin, I still have his 30 year service pin.

Boris