Southern RR Fans- PHOTOS

@Southern Railway Sean posted:

Well guy's I've been off the radar for a while but I'm back with a few more horses to add to the stable. I've always wanted a set of Lionel Southern F3's from the MPC era only because I fell in love with them the 1st time I saw them. While many in the hobby may frown on MPC stuff it's what my mom and dad got me with my 1st Lionel set in 1976 with the Amtrak Lake Shore Limited with the Alco b unit and all the extra passenger cars. The Atlas O Southern F3 is used but new to me and will pair well with my fleet of other southern motive power.

Nice stuff...  ; I'm guessing the #4148 is the Atlas model? Gotta love those F3s... 

Mark in Oregon

@Southern Railway Sean posted:

Well guy's I've been off the radar for a while but I'm back with a few more horses to add to the stable. I've always wanted a set of Lionel Southern F3's from the MPC era only because I fell in love with them the 1st time I saw them. While many in the hobby may frown on MPC stuff it's what my mom and dad got me with my 1st Lionel set in 1976 with the Amtrak Lake Shore Limited with the Alco b unit and all the extra passenger cars. The Atlas O Southern F3 is used but new to me and will pair well with my fleet of other southern motive power.

Sean, it is great to see you back!  As a fellow Southern fan, I have always enjoyed your posts.  Like you, I have always liked the MPC era Southern F3 ABA - I loved the colors used.  

I have, however, really hoped for Lionel to make new scale sized F3 in Southern's green livery.  I have asked Brian at Legacy Station to do a special run whenever Lionel offers the F3's again.  I already know of five friends in the local area who would like to purchase a set.

I hope you enjoy the MPC F3's as well as your new Atlas F3.

Happy railroading,

Don

You have always been on my Southern radar Sean. Good to hear from you.

Hi Guys, Great to to see this thread pop up again after eons of down time.  Thanks all.  I was gonna dig it out but don't have to now.  I have question for all Southern RR fans.  I have recently purchased the Lionel Crescent Limited 3 box set. The 31713, 15520, and 15517.  I'm very pleased with my purchase.  Now, back to my inquiry.  I need some recommendations and/or suggestion for maybe two or three additional passenger cars that will match this in-house set I now have.  I have a nice starter set for the Crescent and desire to add a few quality cars.  Thanks Guys for your input and help,  I need Ideas.  No matter how far out!!

My best regards

Tommy   

Hi Tommy (thebeeman),

An easy option is to buy the Crescent Limited 4 pack set from 2013. Set 6-25654 matches the color of the set that you have. the main differences will be the window tint and trucks as describes from this earlier post:

https://ogrforum.com/...rescent-heavyweights

Anything else you will have some custom painting and decal work.

Tom

I received my Southern Railway F3 from 3rd Rail yesterday.

Neal Jeter

Has anyone modeled the Richmond, VA triple crossing on their layout?

Check out the new Lionel catalog. Southern and CofG hatch roof boxcars and a Southern green GP7 set. 

Those are on my preorder list. 

Neal Jeter

I definitely like the Southern GP7 set in the new 2020 Volume 2 catolog.

Good looking display of the Southerns Sean.

I've never seen trains displayed on track like you have them.  Very clean looking.

How do you keep all that weight from crashing down ?

Thanks for the photos. 🤓

@Larry Neal posted:

Check out the new Lionel catalog. Southern and CofG hatch roof boxcars and a Southern green GP7 set. 

Larry, do you recall that back in the late 90's early 2000's Weaver made a Southern brown box car with the yellow door but sans any roof hatches.  Picked one up when lived in Charlotte numbered 26957.  Nobody I asked knew the reason/meaning of the yellow door.  Some where found it was for grain shipments and would have roof hatches.   Tried to find more info and/or pictures of one, with no luck. 

By chance can you point me in the direction of pictures and/or data(hatch diameters)?  Wanted to add the roof hatches but no idea of the correct size, number of them and location along the roof.

Ron

Ron,

The yellow door was specifically used to denote roof hatches on Southern boxcars. There were two 40 foot series and two 50 foot series. The 40 foot cars were 26950-26900 and 32434-32499. The 50 foot cars were 34200-34299 and 34300-34424. 

The CofG cars would date from 1965-70, since by the early 70s would have Southern lettering and CofG related to corner reporting marks. 

Lionel appears to use the PS-1 model as the basis for these cars, which is not totally correct, but will do. The doors are also wrong, and should be 3 panel ribbed, not flat. That would be easy to fix with appropriate door and yellow paint.

Pictures can be seen in the Southern Freight and Passenger color book and the car diagrams published by the SRHA many years ago. 

Dave,

The ACI label started in 1967, so the 6161 should date to late 60s, since I think the Southern removed CofG lettering from sides of cars by 1972, based on locomotive repaints.

I have two Southern Passenger sets, one the Crescent, which is absolutely beautiful, that has detailed interiors.  The other is also Crescent like, but with the silver cars with black tops. Sharp but silhouettes.  I recently purchased the Southern TOFC from Lionel.  Also sharp looking.  With the weather here today in Chicago supposed to be crap, may be a good day to run trains. 

@Larry Neal posted:

Ron,

The yellow door was specifically used to denote roof hatches on Southern boxcars. There were two 40 foot series and two 50 foot series. The 40 foot cars were 26950-26900 and 32434-32499. The 50 foot cars were 34200-34299 and 34300-34424. 

The CofG cars would date from 1965-70, since by the early 70s would have Southern lettering and CofG related to corner reporting marks. 

Lionel appears to use the PS-1 model as the basis for these cars, which is not totally correct, but will do. The doors are also wrong, and should be 3 panel ribbed, not flat. That would be easy to fix with appropriate door and yellow paint.

Pictures can be seen in the Southern Freight and Passenger color book and the car diagrams published by the SRHA many years ago. 

 

Larry thanks for reminding me to look at my copy "Southern Railway Color Guide ..." because at the top of page 40 is my weaver box car inspiration car number 26957.  Now if the Little Choo Choo ever reopens I will see if can find roof hatch details plastic parts to paint and glue on.

Ron

MTH Southern SD24 powered and dummy pulling freight. Notice that the lead unit is in the second numbering scheme while the trailing unit is in the first numbering scheme.

@Dallas Joseph posted:

Good looking display of the Southerns Sean.

I've never seen trains displayed on track like you have them.  Very clean looking.

How do you keep all that weight from crashing down ?

Thanks for the photos. 🤓

 

Hey Dallas, 

I'm using 50lbs drywall anchors in each stud. Plus I used a laser leveler to line everything up.

@PRRronbh posted:

Larry thanks for reminding me to look at my copy "Southern Railway Color Guide ..." because at the top of page 40 is my weaver box car inspiration car number 26957.  Now if the Little Choo Choo ever reopens I will see if can find roof hatch details plastic parts to paint and glue on.

Ron

Hey Ron, 

I hear that Little Choo Choo is opening on Aug 4th with limited capacity.

@Southern Railway Sean posted:

Hey Ron, 

I hear that Little Choo Choo is opening on Aug 4th with limited capacity.

 

Thanks Sean, the last time I was by there the sign still stated temporary closed.

Ron

@Southern Railway Sean posted:

Hey Dallas, 

I'm using 50lbs drywall anchors in each stud. Plus I used a laser leveler to line everything up.

Hi  Sean 

You technical guys really are something else.     GREAT  LOOK though .🤓

@Grinder posted:

Has anyone modeled the Richmond, VA triple crossing on their layout?

Yes, the National Capital Trackers, at York in 2016. Somebody has to have a better photo...

Volume 4 of "Southern Railway In Color" is out.

Ron

I received my copy last week.  Another good book for Southern fans.

Head end of train followed by rear end 😊

The Lionel 21" Southern Railway "1613" vista dome with wifi camera has shipped from dealers.

Neal Jeter

@Lionlman posted:

The Lionel 21" Southern Railway "1613" vista dome with wifi camera has shipped from dealers.

Neal Jeter

If you have one, please measure the dome and post the dimensions: length" x width".

The dome measures 2.5" wide by 5.75" long.

Neal Jeter

Not Southern per se, but definitely part of the family.  This especially for Dewey Trogden.  

Atlantic and Yadkin 106, finally lettered after 10+ years.

Modified All Nation 4-6-0 with a modified Cary cast boiler.  Not perfect but better than nothing.  Another piece of North Carolina railroading.

Gray Lackey 

@Lionlman posted:

The dome measures 2.5" wide by 5.75" long.

Neal Jeter

THANK YOU!!  Been away from the forum and just saw your reply.

Is this paint scheme correct for a Southern 2-8-2:

Got a great deal on Ebay for it, should hit my porch today.

Gray

Very nice work. Great to see A&Y passenger iron on the Forum. Here is a cab shot and fuzzy photo of an A&Y freight companion from back in the day. Brother Love made me an A&Y cab car based on old pictures but I don't have a photo of the result. The A&Y only owned two cabooses but leased others from the parent Southern Ry. 

@NHVRYGray posted:

Awesome!  Any interest in doing a separate thread that shows us in more detail how you did that?

Concerning Atlantic and Yadkin 106

It's been over 10 years or so since I did the mods.  I can recall most of the changes.

Somehow I got one of the Cary zinc boilered All Nation 4-6-0's before I really knew too much about two rail 0 (not that I know a lot now, but more than I did).

Body mods:  Cut the higher running boards off and made new out of brass pinned on and epoxied.  Cut the really long cab overhang back and made a new top out of sheet brass.  Precision Scale airpumps, check valves, headlight and markers used, don't remember about the bell.

Running gear changes:  Removed all external vale gear and hangers to simulate inside Stephenson gear.  Replaced the All Nation piston valve cylinders with the Precision Scale Wabash 2-6-0 slide valve cylinders - plus crosshead guides.  I do remember it was quite a bear fitting the new cylinders and getting them mounted and not binding.

Tender is the small All Nation that I cut down and added the smaller coal bunker with plastic.  Since the trucks were not there and I run 3 rail anyway I used atlas Andrews trucks modified to fit.

All work was done with nothing more than a Dremel and needle files.  Plus LOTS of metal dust and broken cutting wheels.

That's the biggies as I remember as it's been 10 or so years.  It sat unlettered until two weeks ago until I final got motivated enough to do the work, using Microscale letters and the "ransom note" style of individually cut and placed letters, and stripes.

As has been discussed many times, just wish someone would do some small 2-8-0's and 4-6-0's.  While I have several Weaver 2-8-0's, they a BIG.  Also I get you make what sells, and N&W J's and UP Big Boys are what sells.  Just have to do the best we can with what we have.  REALLY would love to see a scale Southern F1 4-6-0 and J class 2-8-0.

Speaking of BIG, any one up for a Southern 2-8-2 plus 2-8-0 tractor?

Gray Lackey

@Tom Morris posted:

BD Bob DelbridgeMember Digital Subscriber

Is this paint scheme correct for a Southern 2-8-2:

Hi Bob,

No Sir, it is not correct. Basically, it should be black with numbers on the side of the tender. I have this engine too. I received mine last year. I plan on painting it black and adding an Elesco feedwater heater, and darkening the wheels.

What plans do you have for yours?

Tom, really not sure.  I was hoping the paint scheme was right, now I might leave it as is in the box or see about converting it into an ACL 2-8-2, I'm on an ACL kick lately, OR I could paint it black to have my 1st Southern engine..  I got this for $168 plus shipping and tax, which was a great deal for a brass engine and one I couldn't pass up.

I actually bought one a few years ago, modified it into a SAL 2-8-2, and either swapped tenders with another engine or built a Vanderbilt tender for it (this one will make my 3rd Williams/Samhongsa 2-8-2!!!), I still have the 1st Southern tender sitting on a shelf with no engine to go with it (need to look on Ebay again for just an engine).

Didn't really "need" another one but just couldn't pass up the deal.  Maybe I'll save it for the grandsons, and maybe put PS2 or ERR guts in it.

@Lionlman posted:

The Lionel 21" Southern Railway "1613" vista dome with wifi camera has shipped from dealers.

Neal Jeter

My plan was to avoid buying these camera cars despite my affinity for domes.   

You spoiled my plan.  This post caused an order for one.  This Southern dome is beautifully done.   

Is there an accurate model of a Southern steam era caboose, besides the one Mullett River did?

Bob:

I have purchased scratch built steam era Southern cabooses from Brother Love who posts here on the forum.  His work is truly outstanding.

Neal Jeter