Since I am going to use mainly diesel/passenger consists on my, to be, modified Texas layout, I would like to add a 1940-50's period wash rack to yard. I know Lionel released a wash rack accessory some years ago, but I would like members to post photo's if they have added locomotive wash racks to their pike. Here is a period photo I found belonging to the Canadian National Railroad. Any ideas would be welcome, thank you.
Steve, Lady and Tex
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I remember a nice kit offered in HO many years back. Looks like it would be easy to build your own with Plastruct shapes and sheets plastic.
I remember a nice kit offered in HO many years back. Looks like it would be easy to build your own with Plastruct shapes and sheets plastic.
Bachmann produce a very nice one in 'OO' scale. The image below might give you some ideas as to how to construct one in in 'O'.
I would think that bottle brushes, or a venetian blind cleaner, might be a good source for the brushes. 
Thanks Dave for the lead. I do some research to see if I can find some photos of the kit or someone who has built it.
Nicole, Spring in Netherlands yet? Thank you for your tip. I don't believe your photo came through, at least it doesn't show on my posting.
Steve, Lady and Tex
Thanks Dave for the lead. I do some research to see if I can find some photos of the kit or someone who has built it.
Nicole, Spring in Netherlands yet? Thank you for your tip. I don't believe your photo came through, at least it doesn't show on my posting.
Steve, Lady and Tex
Hi Steve, yes, Spring has sprung here now, and Mr Tiddles knows exactly where the boidies is. 
I'm sorry if the picture didn't come through, but here is a link to the Bachmann model on a UK vendors site.
Some years back, Lionel made an operating engine wash facility, I think it was back in the 90's. Can't remember how much it went for, I think it was $100+. Almost bought one, but didn't have the room for it.
Excellent idea Steve. You might want to propose this project to Alex M. or Alan G. I bet they could come up with something special.
The photo was especially interesting. It shows a Canadian Pacific rather than a Canadian National facility. The giveaway is the stainless steel equipment, of which the CN had none in the fifties. The time period can be narrowed further to about 1955 when the CP order for cars from Budd were delivered to launch the Canadian and to partially reequip the Dominion. The first car on the left is a heavyweight sleeper which the CP sheathed in stainless to match the Budd equipment. The Canadian carried a few of these for "tourist" class service. The year could have predated the Canadian debut since the stainless equipment took a while to be assembled on the property. The stainless cars crept into the Dominion consists until the Canadian was fully equipped. By the way, the CP ordered enough of the round end dome observations in the "Park" series to equip both trains. The Dominion didn't last long allowing the dome obs cars to grace many different trainsets including a short-lived Montreal-Toronto schedule.
Thenks for the photo!
Joe S.
The photo was especially interesting. It shows a Canadian Pacific rather than a Canadian National facility. The giveaway is the stainless steel equipment, of which the CN had none in the fifties. The time period can be narrowed further to about 1955 when the CP order for cars from Budd were delivered to launch the Canadian and to partially reequip the Dominion. The first car on the left is a heavyweight sleeper which the CP sheathed in stainless to match the Budd equipment. The Canadian carried a few of these for "tourist" class service. The year could have predated the Canadian debut since the stainless equipment took a while to be assembled on the property. The stainless cars crept into the Dominion consists until the Canadian was fully equipped. By the way, the CP ordered enough of the round end dome observations in the "Park" series to equip both trains. The Dominion didn't last long allowing the dome obs cars to grace many different trainsets including a short-lived Montreal-Toronto schedule.
Thenks for the photo!
Joe S.
Sorry Joe, I always get those two railroads mixed up for some reason. The caption on the photo (no date given) is at the Canadian Pacific Drake Street yards in Vancouver BC. It also states that the wash water was flushed into nearby False Creek polluting it for years.
Steve, Lady and Tex
Some years back, Lionel made an operating engine wash facility, I think it was back in the 90's. Can't remember how much it went for, I think it was $100+. Almost bought one, but didn't have the room for it.
Yes they did,it was the steam clean and wheel grind accessory. It was 3 different modules or you could put them together to mak one unit and they were way north of a hundred maybe 3+ but I bought from my local hobby shop. Was nice in it's day with the lighter flints making the sparks for the wheel grinding.
Doug
Excellent idea Steve. You might want to propose this project to Alex M. or Alan G. I bet they could come up with something special.
Great recommendation Brian. I'm contacting the MKT and Santa Fe historical societies (I am a member of both), to see if there are any photo's available of the wash racks in maintenance yards on routs my trains will be taking. I need to keep footprint small but from what I have seen that won't be a problem. I have to keep my TS engines and passenger cars clean.
Steve, Lady and Tex
I got this for my birthday about 20 years ago. Not prototypical, but fun......
Peter
That sounds like a perfect modeling opportunity for anyone that likes to run passenger trains.
1. It has a small footprint and could go on any passenger yard or station track.
2. AND it justifies having clean passenger cars and engines.
Art
PutnamDivison, Peter, was that model built by one of the major manufactures or was it scratch built.Al
Al.......that was a top-of-the line Lionel accessory in the early 90s.
i got it around the time of my 40th birthday........I was ecstatic when I opened the box ( my wife is TOPS!). I use it to anchor my engine yard.
Peter
Washing the El Capitan at Albuquerque:
Peter, would you have an item number. I have never seen one before and want to hunt for one or build one.
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