long island jack Posted March 4, 2021 Share Posted March 4, 2021 Â 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave1905 Posted March 4, 2021 Share Posted March 4, 2021 F units were preferred for plow work because they had a smooth nose and the snow wouldn't pile up on it. During the winter the MoPac leased some of its F units to other roads specifically for plow duty just because they had the smooth nose. On a hood unit the snow will build up on the walkways, meaning the only way you could get out of the cab is from the door behind the engineer, assuming there wasn't snow built up on that walkway. F unit doors were on the sides, opened in and wouldn't get blocked by snow. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marmight Posted March 9, 2021 Author Share Posted March 9, 2021 On 04/03/2021 at 18:08, dave1905 said: F units were preferred for plow work because they had a smooth nose and the snow wouldn't pile up on it. During the winter the MoPac leased some of its F units to other roads specifically for plow duty just because they had the smooth nose. On a hood unit the snow will build up on the walkways, meaning the only way you could get out of the cab is from the door behind the engineer, assuming there wasn't snow built up on that walkway. F unit doors were on the sides, opened in and wouldn't get blocked by snow. That has just given me an excuse to run and keep my F9...thanks guys. Now does anyone have an O gauge 2 Rail snowplough I can buy??? Cheers Martin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikjd Posted March 12, 2021 Share Posted March 12, 2021 MTH make an acceptable Jordan Spreader, used both as a plow and for Maintenance of Way Work (MoW). Unfortunately finding one in the UK is like looking for unicorns. I was lucky enough to find two for the price of one from the US, so even with postage and VAT the price was reasonable.  https://conrailphotos.thecrhs.org/photos/cr-64619-jordan-spreader  Just google it and you will find plenty of prototype photos. Many have been rebuilt and modernised, for which the model is an ideal starting point. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pH Posted March 12, 2021 Share Posted March 12, 2021 How about this:  http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2326789  401B is actually operating as a B-unit - the cab windows are plated over. I think the trailing Missouri Pacific units are SD50s.  When the MKT got their first GP40s, they often ran them in GP40/F-unit/GP40 combinations. There are plenty of pictures of such combos in books, but I can’t find one online. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted March 12, 2021 Share Posted March 12, 2021 https://www.railpictures.net/photo/762671/ Â Another F-Unit in the middle of a lash-up. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marmight Posted March 13, 2021 Author Share Posted March 13, 2021 What a fabulous picture, thanks for posting F-UnitMad. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marmight Posted March 13, 2021 Author Share Posted March 13, 2021 (edited)  MTH make an acceptable Jordan Spreader, used both as a plow and for Maintenance of Way Work (MoW). Unfortunately finding one in the UK is like looking for unicorns. I was lucky enough to find two for the price of one from the US, so even with postage and VAT the price was reasonable.  https://conrailphotos.thecrhs.org/photos/cr-64619-jordan-spreader  Just google it and you will find plenty of prototype photos. Many have been rebuilt and modernised, for which the model is an ideal starting point.  Thanks Mike, that is one strange looking beastie...  Cheers Martin Edited March 13, 2021 by Marmight Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marmight Posted March 13, 2021 Author Share Posted March 13, 2021 On 12/03/2021 at 20:01, pH said: How about this:  http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2326789  401B is actually operating as a B-unit - the cab windows are plated over. I think the trailing Missouri Pacific units are SD50s.  When the MKT got their first GP40s, they often ran them in GP40/F-unit/GP40 combinations. There are plenty of pictures of such combos in books, but I can’t find one online. Brilliant picture, thanks very much. Cheers Martin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pH Posted March 14, 2021 Share Posted March 14, 2021 On 12/03/2021 at 12:01, pH said: When the MKT got their first GP40s, they often ran them in GP40/F-unit/GP40 combinations. There are plenty of pictures of such combos in books, but I can’t find one online.  Apologies for quoting my own post, but I’ve found a couple of pictures of these combinations. I can’t link to the individual photos, but they are the 10th and 11th pictures on this page:  http://www.railphoto-art.org/collections/lamb/group-six/ 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marmight Posted March 14, 2021 Author Share Posted March 14, 2021 1 hour ago, pH said:  Apologies for quoting my own post, but I’ve found a couple of pictures of these combinations. I can’t link to the individual photos, but they are the 10th and 11th pictures on this page:  http://www.railphoto-art.org/collections/lamb/group-six/ That picture at Taylor in Texas is fantastic...talk about switchbacks and in the middle of nowhere... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave1905 Posted March 14, 2021 Share Posted March 14, 2021 It would be interesting to know what picture of Taylor Texas you are talking about, because there aren't switchbacks at Taylor, TX. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pH Posted March 14, 2021 Share Posted March 14, 2021 4 hours ago, dave1905 said: It would be interesting to know what picture of Taylor Texas you are talking about, because there aren't switchbacks at Taylor, TX.  9 hours ago, pH said: 11th pictures on this page:  http://www.railphoto-art.org/collections/lamb/group-six/ It’s more just a single sag. J. Parker Lamb, who took the photographs in that collection,  used that location a lot. There is at least one more photograph taken there on the page linked to above. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted March 14, 2021 Share Posted March 14, 2021 (edited) Another video to tempt young Marmight on here to lash-up his F9... An F-Unit on freight in 2020? Oh yeah!! Â Â Â Also good for reference to the headlights on it. Edit - and it has a 5-chime horn, too!! Edited March 14, 2021 by F-UnitMad 4 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prof Klyzlr Posted March 15, 2021 Share Posted March 15, 2021 Dear RMWebbers,  Just a sidenote, the "Center for Railroad Photography and Art" linked above is run by Scott Lothes, who along with Ken Wiseman-Yee, were the two major documenters of the Oregon City/Blue Heron Paper street-switching ops in Oregon City, Ore circa 2000.  The OG members here may recall the late "Shortliner Jack" and others being rather rabid fans of the "OC Switcher", and Scott continues his excellent RR research and visual documentation thru the CRP&A today... (For those fans of contemporary/modern-era western railroading, inc the gritty LA street and river-channel switching, via the CRP&A site you may wish to check the work of Adam Normandin...)  Also worth checking out the CRP&A's podcasts, available free on YT https://www.youtube.com/user/railphotoart/videos  Happy Modelling, Aim to Improve, Prof Klyzlr 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave1905 Posted March 15, 2021 Share Posted March 15, 2021 18 hours ago, pH said:  It’s more just a single sag. J. Parker Lamb, who took the photographs in that collection,  used that location a lot. There is at least one more photograph taken there on the page linked to above. OK, that's just rolling countryside of central Texas. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marmight Posted March 15, 2021 Author Share Posted March 15, 2021 On 14/03/2021 at 12:59, dave1905 said: It would be interesting to know what picture of Taylor Texas you are talking about, because there aren't switchbacks at Taylor, TX. Dave, maybe it’s lost in translation, here in the UK I think it would be called a switchback, undulating trackwork.  Cheers  Martin, trying to get a handle on American phraseology Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave1905 Posted March 15, 2021 Share Posted March 15, 2021 Hogback or boarback maybe, but in the US a switchback is a completely different thing. Its a "zig-zag" where train has to reverse directions to keep going, typically in a switching area or on a grade up a steep mountain. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pH Posted March 15, 2021 Share Posted March 15, 2021 3 hours ago, Marmight said: Dave, maybe it’s lost in translation, here in the UK I think it would be called a switchback, undulating trackwork.  Cheers  Martin, trying to get a handle on American phraseology ‘Undulating trackwork’? How about this?  https://www.railpictures.net/photo/260596/ https://www.railpictures.net/photo/202127/  1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted March 15, 2021 Share Posted March 15, 2021 (edited) 3 hours ago, Marmight said: Dave, maybe it’s lost in translation, here in the UK I think it would be called a switchback, undulating trackwork.  Cheers  Martin, trying to get a handle on American phraseology Again it's another of the differences between UK & US Railways/roads. When most UK lines were built steam locos were small & less powerful - both in traction and braking, so every effort was made to reduce gradients, by creating cuttings, embankments & tunnels. By the time a lot of US lines were laid, locos were more powerful, so not so much effort was put into levelling the right of way; US lines follow the landscape a lot more.  That is, of course, a generalisation for both countries, before I get shot at by the Pedant Police. Edited March 15, 2021 by F-UnitMad 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdvle Posted March 15, 2021 Share Posted March 15, 2021 46 minutes ago, F-UnitMad said: Again it's another of the differences between UK & US Railways/roads. When most UK lines were built steam locos were small & less powerful - both in traction and braking, so every effort was made to reduce gradients, by creating cuttings, embankments & tunnels. By the time a lot of US lines were laid, locos were more powerful, so not so much effort was put into levelling the right of way; US lines follow the landscape a lot more.  That is, of course, a generalisation for both countries, before I get shot at by the Pedant Police.  The better generalization is the difference in available labour.  The UK had lots of labour available, so cuttings/embankments/tunnels were better choices (particularly when joined in with the issue of powerful land owners).  The US on the other hand had labour shortages, so anything that allowed more miles of track to be laid by the same workforce was the obvious choice given the distances involved.  This is seen in other areas of the respective economies in that time period.   1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marmight Posted March 16, 2021 Author Share Posted March 16, 2021 On 14/03/2021 at 23:14, F-UnitMad said: Another video to tempt young Marmight on here to lash-up his F9... An F-Unit on freight in 2020? Oh yeah!!    Also good for reference to the headlights on it. Edit - and it has a 5-chime horn, too!! Empire Midland and Lake Shore’s very own F9 #47 on switching duties at Lake Shore Harbor plays with a loaded Gondola this morning... its usage inspired by posts in this Forum. ...and I’m getting used to the lingo, lol.  2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marmight Posted March 16, 2021 Author Share Posted March 16, 2021 19 hours ago, dave1905 said: Hogback or boarback maybe, but in the US a switchback is a completely different thing. Its a "zig-zag" where train has to reverse directions to keep going, typically in a switching area or on a grade up a steep mountain. Well you learn something new everyday...lol patience please Dave, American terms take some getting used to... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marmight Posted March 16, 2021 Author Share Posted March 16, 2021 18 hours ago, pH said: ‘Undulating trackwork’? How about this?  https://www.railpictures.net/photo/260596/ https://www.railpictures.net/photo/202127/  Now in the UK that would be called a Big Dipper..roller coaster in US and modern English terms. in the UK, we would have built a tunnel at the far end of the picture and had level track and huge cuttings on the trackwork coming toward you. US operation is far more interesting...   1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdvle Posted March 16, 2021 Share Posted March 16, 2021 Just remember that if you went to that location in real life it would be a lot more boring - the telephoto lens really exaggerates things. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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