signalmaintainer Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Jon, why not go whole hog and model the Haysi with the B unit. I also like the option of Geep 38s -- perhaps because of images I've seen of Southern 38s on former Interstate branches. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talltim Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 I know hardly anything about the Appalachian coal lines (even as far as where they are in the US!) but people's steam era layouts of them have always appealed to me. I can't quite get as enthusiastic about the diesel era but it has nothing to do with not liking diesels, I can't quie put my finder on it, but possibly steam can give a better impression of working hard in model form. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Gwinnett Posted March 14, 2012 Author Share Posted March 14, 2012 Jon, why not go whole hog and model the Haysi with the B unit. I also like the option of Geep 38s -- perhaps because of images I've seen of Southern 38s on former Interstate branches. I'm certainly thinking about it. Can't find out when the B unit retired exactly, but I reckon it gives me about a 20 year window, possibly requiring a little use of modelers licence. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
long island jack Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Jon b unit still working in the early 90's coupled up to a gp7/9 Ray Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Gwinnett Posted March 14, 2012 Author Share Posted March 14, 2012 Thanks Ray. For atmosphere, how about this: http://www.railpictu...d=11922&nseq=10 It occurs to me that over the last thirty forty years, apart from locos and a gradual shift from hoppers to gons, not much else would necessarily have changed. So maybe I should just build it and worry about the stock later? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigZ Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 Or more modern: http://g.co/maps/u9w3b Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
signalmaintainer Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 For atmosphere, how about this: http://www.railpictu...d=11922&nseq=10 That's been one of my favorite photos for many years now. It's a wonderful pictorial summation of big-time, diesel-era Appalachian coal railroading. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Gwinnett Posted March 15, 2012 Author Share Posted March 15, 2012 Apart from losing the B unit, the modern era appeals because it coincides with my interest in American railroading, and so (I think) I know or understand big modern units better. But, it also means Ditchlights, no Caboose, no B Unit (Although the S2 is a nice substitute - Bachmann cheap sound unit anyone?) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigZ Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 Apart from losing the B unit, the modern era appeals because it coincides with my interest in American railroading, and so (I think) I know or understand big modern units better. But, it also means Ditchlights, no Caboose, no B Unit (Although the S2 is a nice substitute - Bachmann cheap sound unit anyone?) I have to say that the Bachmann S4 was a very pleasant surprise. It runs well, sounds good, and looks decent. For the price it's a great deal. Lop the cab off, hack an operator's cab into one corner step, make it filthy and rusty...perfect bug slug. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Gwinnett Posted March 17, 2012 Author Share Posted March 17, 2012 Saw this today: http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=392409&nseq=15 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigZ Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 Saw this today: http://www.railpictu...=392409&nseq=15 Virginian! http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=369277 http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=360670 http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=358121 - also an excellent photo of a 'town in the hollers' in West Virginia http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=356951 Modern times on the Virginian: http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=259629 http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=142510 http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=96219 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talltim Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 I do like electric Virginian, especially with the large yellow lettering Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 Not Appalachia but a modern fact of life in Antelope (cleaning up after the coal trains): The curve reminds me of Saturn's Rings for some reason..... Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigZ Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 Not Appalachia but a modern fact of life in Antelope (cleaning up after the coal trains): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1yc5cKsmd4&feature=related The curve reminds me of Saturn's Rings for some reason..... Best, Pete. 1) That's why it's called Big Sky country. To an east coaster like me the vastness is amazing. 2) Posting time of 2:58 am?? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 Vampire of London, a certain hairy handed gent is my cousin...... Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigZ Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 My work schedule this week took me up thru West Virginia on my way over to Lexington, KY. And I remembered another style of 'coal modeling' that might be attractive. It's the transloading operation from coal hopper to river barge. There's three, maybe four such operations along the Ohio River at Kenova and Huntington WV. The ones I've taken the time to see are the Ohio River Terminals in Huntington http://g.co/maps/mfahr which used to use the pair of ex SP&S/BN C415 Alcos (since scrapped unfortunately) and the Kenova River Terminals in Kenova http://g.co/maps/7tqjc . I believe it is loads in/empties out operations, and slapped right between a residential area of small homes and the Ohio River. On Monday this week I pulled off the Interstate to have a look at the KRT operation again. In the past (when I was there in 2000) they used some faded blue Geeps and some "bug slugs" which I could see off in the distance but not photograph. When I next passed thru in 2006 the bug slugs and Geeps were still there and ex CN GP40-2Ls also there, and now all were painted green and orange. I snagged some dim photos in 2006, but this week I was there at mid day and took these photos of the Geeps shoving a 25 car cut of loaded hoppers back into the facility: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talltim Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 I like those GP40-2Ws Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave1905 Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 There are also barge loading operations around St Louis, MO and at Cora, IL. A lot of the power plants along the Mississippi and Ohio rivers are barge supplied with the coal coming to barge by rail. Paducah, KY is a huge coal crossroads with numerous plants within a 50 mile radius and trains from the UP, BNSF, CN/IC, PAL. The most famous was the Peabody operation in E. St. Louis right across from where the Gateway Arch is today. the building had a huge "PEABODY" sign visible from downtown St. Louis. I poked around over there in the 1980's and there were still some GM&O offset twin hoppers rusting in a back track south of the dumper. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigZ Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Browsing thru one of my file folders I ran across this photo I took on the Clinchfield in southwestern Virginia. It's VERY Appalachian down to the tin roofed outbuildings, rolling lumpy hills and of course a coal train... And this one as well where the Clinchfield swings over the highway at Clinchco - again, not an unusual arrangement where the road, the railway and the buildings are working in a very narrow area... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
signalmaintainer Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 Well, this topic reignited the flames! Over the past couple weeks while I was out of town I acquired via eBay three Southern GP38s and a caboose, placed an order for 20 Southern 70-ton hopper cars, and have sketched out a track plan for a N scale version of the former Interstate Railroad's Dorchester Branch. Next step is to put the sketch down in final form as a trackplan with properly proportioned switches and curves, but so far it appears as if everything will fit in a 36" by 80" space. Nice size for a hollow-core door layout, but I'll build the benchwork to better accomodate the wooden pile trestle that was a forefront signature item at Dorchester Junction. Here's what I mean: http://www.railpictures.net/images/d1/2/1/2/3212.1235137728.jpg http://www.railpictures.net/images/d1/1/3/7/1137.1311164422.jpg http://www.railpictures.net/images/d1/7/8/0/1780.1158364800.jpg I'm basing the trackplan in part from one that Dan Borque, the webmaster of Appalachian Railroad Modeling, posted earlier this year. It can be seen here: http://appalachianra...sterbranch.html. The only real trick has been where to site the junction itself, due to it's linear nature. In the end, I settled on having the line to Norton disappear into the trees covering a ridge that divides the center of the layout. I'll post more when I've developed the plan enough for a public unveiling. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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