Western Roads Wednesday

Heavy Pacific 3464 leads westbound train 23, The Grand Canyon.

@Don McErlean posted:

@lee drennen - Hey thank you for your comment last week on my DRG Alco  FA, she was one of Lionel's low end loco's but she does me fine, runs well and pulls all I want to hook up.  Loved your UP tractor and trailer.  Great modeling job .

So now on to today's post...hello WRW fans, here are a few "western" box cars for today.

First a Lionel #6454 Southern Pacific boxcar from 1949-1952

Next a Lionel (MPC) #9214 Northern Pacific boxcar from 1971-1972

Finally a Marx #3280 Santa Fe box car from 1956

Best Wishes...Happy "HUMP" day!!

Don

Don your welcome maybe one of these days I’ll get around to buying one. I like that Lionel NP it’s another on my wish list. Thanks for the complement on the Up rig the truck is a custom built one also.

Received a NIB Lionel Santa Fe unpowered GP35 yesterday. This is one of the premature SPSF merger "Kodachromes" that fits in well with a lash-up. These are hard to find nowadays, either powered or unpowered. So, glad I grabbed this one. Used to see these on the Escondido, CA, branch back in the 1980s when I lived there.

A Santa Fe zebra stripe SD24 leads a mixed freight.

Just a few various examples of Western Roads from my collection.  The somewhat old fashioned styled Lionel (MPC)  SF 2-4-0 #8300 locomotive from 1973-74 and her matching caboose, SF #9061 from 1970-1976

The Lionel (LLC) Santa Fe tank car # 81202 from 2014-2015

Finally jumping way back to the original Lionel Corp the Frisco #6014 box car from 1957

Best Wishes, happy "HUMP" day to all,

Don

Southern Pacific mixed freight in California’s Central Valley

This car had to have traveled through Wyoming on the C&S.

Two more.

Terry, like your SP layout and freight consist!

Here's my Western Roads Wednesday. UP and SP meet in Paradise, CA, a little fantasy here as the timeline of my layout UP and SP would not be meeting in California! A couple of the boxcars in the UP mixed freight are far from home and heading back home.

Happy Railroading!

Note: For those of you that don't know or remember, my train layout is named after the town of Paradise, CA which burned to the ground in the 2018 Camp Fire. I renamed my town to pay respect to those that lost their lives, loved ones, homes, and businesses on that awful day, November 8, 2018! My Dad lived in Paradise, CA  for 30 years until 2012, so I have many found memories of this mountain town.

@WesternPacific2217 posted:

Terry, like your SP layout and freight consist!

Here's my Western Roads Wednesday. UP and SP meet in Paradise, CA, a little fantasy here as the timeline of my layout UP and SP would not be meeting in California! A couple of the boxcars in the UP mixed freight are far from home and heading back home.

Happy Railroading!

Note: For those of you that don't know or remember, my train layout is named after the town of Paradise, CA which burned to the ground in the 2018 Camp Fire. I renamed my town to pay respect to those that lost their lives, loved ones, homes, and businesses on that awful day, November 8, 2018! My Dad lived in Paradise, CA  for 30 years until 2012, so I have many found memories of this mountain town.

Great post!!  

Marx 1998 Alco S3 Santa Fe switcher available 1962 in black/white .  Marx ATSF Work Caboose #4587 from 1962

SF Switcher with Marx 1972 SF caboose from 1974

Best Wishes

Don

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gs7DwrA38g4&t=36s

Well folks, I know its the day before Turkey Day but don't forget to post to W.R.W.  Here are my offerings for today.  First the Marx 1998 ATSF Alco S3 switcher in maroon / yellow.  1955-1961 changed to black/white in 1962.

The Marx #3280 Santa Fe box car in Orange- also came in yellow and white.  Orange from 1956

Well hope you enjoy your Holiday.  Best Wishes

Don

Here's my Santa Fe F3 Proto 3 by MTH

Here is the Marx 1998 Alco S3 SF switcher from 1962 along with a SF boxcar and work caboose.

Better picture of the Marx SF work caboose also from 1962

Best Wishes for a great Wed and rest of the week.  Relax...its "HUMP" day!!

Don

Happy Western Roads Wednesday!!!

Here’s a Western Pacific loco and train. I was just testing track work on the upper level of the layout a few years ago.

Still Wednesday, and some Union Pacific Alco FA-2s are leading a freight train.

Well for Western Roads today I selected the Union Pacific.  Here is Kline's model of the EMD MP-15 in UP livery working the industrial section of my layout.

Best wishes to all on a drab, cold, and rainy Wed here in central Texas.

Don

For W.R.W. I present an Atlas 50ft D&RGW boxcar.  This is another paint scheme I really like but I am resisting going down the Rio Grande rabbit hole….for now !   This car came from Caboose Stop Hobbies in Cedar Falls,
IA when I had some work there last year. Now this is a dangerous store to enter….Atlas from floor to ceiling, in 2 & 3 rail !  You just can’t leave without buying something(s).

Rich in WV

This Wednesday Union Pacific FEF-3 number 844 leads the eastbound San Francisco Overland.

I just discovered this thread -- I have a lot to add!

Will start with a few of my faves:

Another Western Roads Wednesday!!

On our 4’ x 4’ small layout, we have a Lionel Western Pacific SW1 (we made from a Lionel NW2), and a Lionel Santa Fe NW2.

SP Mogul

Here's a photo of my postwar Lionel NW2 Santa Fe switcher.

Well I guess to most folks...Texas is "Western" right ?  At least that is what all the cowboy movies imply.  So here is a Lionel #210, Texas Special Alco FA from 1958.

Here is a Santa Fe Alco FA in freight colors pulling a small train past the depot.  Lionel # 8351 from 1973-1975 so fairly early in the MPC era.

Best Wishes and Happy Holidays

Don

Here's a video of some of my Union Pacific stuff out on the layout. I hope y'all enjoy.

https://youtu.be/oyyQuXAYT8Y?si=xAywhPOcCBA8ITvM

Here’s today’s Western Roads Wednesday. This is a old All Nations car I painted and decaled.

I picked up this handsome single non powered E8 Lionel off of 'the bay' over the weekend. Beautiful detail. Wonder why someone would split up the AA pair?  I had a Lionel E6 and a MTH E6 B unit sitting on the shelf that this one looks good with.

Here's some Santa Fe Geeps.

My new to me UP 4-8-4

PW Lionel 2333 Santa Fe with PW Lionel passenger cars.

Following Lee...here is my SP&S boxcar.  Unlike Lee I didn't do any of the work, I just bought it from Lionel (MPC)! Pictured here with Road Foreman of Rolling Stock, Max the Cat...

@Don McErlean posted:

Following Lee...here is my SP&S boxcar.  Unlike Lee I didn't do any of the work, I just bought it from Lionel (MPC)! Pictured here with Road Foreman of Rolling Stock, Max the Cat...

Nice car Don. I had some SP&S decals left over and did one in O27 scale but gave it to a friend who was starting a O27 layout. Nice cat we had one that looked just like your his name was Felix.  

Well its been a long time since anyone posted to this thread, so I thought I might just see if there are any contributors today.  The Lionel (MPC) Santa Fe Alco FA in the freight livery pulls a small train down the main line today.

Best Wishes

Don

@Don McErlean, beautiful train and it’s nice to see this thread up and running again…Happy Railroading Everyone

@leapinlarry posted:

@Don McErlean, beautiful train and it’s nice to see this thread up and running again…Happy Railroading Everyone

Larry, great opportunity to show off the Santa Fe units. That particular paint scheme is sharp looking! I like those SF colors the best.

Gene

A couple of new Williams acquisitions, and the old 2353 set, which just never gets old. Enjoy!

Lionel, postwar, Santa Fe, A-B-A, F-3 Diesels.

Well last week we had a few contributors so maybe we can pull up a few more this week.  Today I have my Southern Pacific, GS-4 in "Daylight" livery from Lionel.  I don't get to run her very much as she is almost too big to go around my 0-31 curves without special clearance.  I bought her many years ago (1991) in hopes of making a larger layout but life intervened.  So I just get to mostly admire her very good looks.  Anyway, hope you decide to post today.

Best Wishes

Don

On the go today but here's a quick shot of one of my favorite cabooses.

Western roads passenger diesels and western roads freight diesels.

RailKing Southern Pacific

This is a fun to read topic, Western Roads had so many beautiful paint schemes… Happy Railroading Everyone

@CoastsideKevin posted:

On the go today but here's a quick shot of one of my favorite cabooses.

Hi Kevin, I recognize that caboose #1690, K-Line made for Western Depot in Yuba City, CA. I have the same caboose only #1670. One of my favorites, too! Nicely detailed and great price!

Well since leapinlarry showed a beautiful BNSF model diesel, I decided to follow up on the same theme, only with a 1:1 scale BNSF diesel.  This one passing through a small town south of Waco, Texas (Note this is my picture which I took) .  Not much to say for the town anymore the Malls have just about closed the center shopping district, however the RR tracks are at the end of a large open field, so access is great!

Best Wishes everyone.  Hope your week is going well...Happy "HUMP" day!

Don

Since Santa Fe Sunday has evidently petered out, I’m posting this SF passenger train here, since the Santa Fe was considered a western (and midwestern) road. 😉

Happy WrW all!

Some ATSF/BNSF locos from my layout.

And a BNSF freight heading downgrade, a few moments from my home.

Western railroad, Southern Pacific.

Well how about a little "Rock" this Wed...RI got as far west as Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma so I am going to say it qualifies as a "western" road.  This is a Marx #799 Rock Island GE 70 ton switcher, available 1959-1965.   Although its hard to make out, the caboose with it is a lightweight, Marx RI 4 wheel caboose.  Even at 60+ years of age, like most Marx loco's, this one has no trouble pulling its small train around my mostly flay layout with 0-31 and 0-27 curves.

Happy "Hump" Day everyone. Best Wishes

Don

Here's a few Western Road diesels including a Premiere AT&SF with fixed pilot that I had  for several years.

Well its been over a month since I participated in this thread, so I am happy to be back!  Here is the Lionel # 18601 from 1988.  She is one of my favorite steamers as she runs really well and pulls anything I want.  Anyway in theme with this thread she comes from the Great Northern RR, clearly a western road.

Best wishes to everyone, hope you have a happy July 4th holiday.

Don

Well, I seem to be almost answering myself in this thread.  C'mon folks there must be some add'l Western Road folks out there in forum land   This is a Marx Western Pacific E-7 A-B-A consist , The A units from1956-1960 and the B unit from 1957-1958.  Like many of Marx's powered units, these gal's run real fine and pull quite well given they are going on 70 years old.  I consider that a testament to some good reliable design on the part of Marx.

Best Wishes and hoping some other folks decide to join in the posting party!

Don

The recent thread on K-Line diecast cars nudged me to add one to my roster. Although I favor NE PA RR’s , the Burlington became hard to resist once I encountered their former 105 mile-long branch line in the Black Hills of South Dakota.  Woulda been a great ride !

Hi Don, here is my contribution for Western Roads Wednesday.  An MTH Great Northern FA2 AB pulling passenger cars.   I keep thinking SantaFe is a Midwest railroad since I saw it so often in the Chicago area growing up. I am still in the early stages of re-building my layout, just getting the track plan finalized after several attempts - no place to take interesting train photos - IMO.

It's been a while since I've contributed to this thread.  Hope this isn't a repeat!  Denied merger partners photographed on the OLD Paradise and Pacific Railroad that got dismantled in 2010.  Not my locomotives and definitely not my best photograph!

@trestleking Those diecast cars are really great, I have several.  Love the real coal loads.  I'll have to remember CB&Q counts as a Western RailRoad.  I am mostly Midwest Railroads but have a Norfolk and Western 611 and a couple of Pennsylvania GG1s.  Since you made it out as far west as the CB&Q, consider the Milwaukee Road (Chicago Milwaukee St Paul and Pacific) with their innovative engines and great color schemes. Hard to believe they could keep a time schedule and hit speeds of 100 mph in the 1930s. So much for progress. 

@GG1 4877 posted:

It's been a while since I've contributed to this thread.  Hope this isn't a repeat!  Denied merger partners photographed on the OLD Paradise and Pacific Railroad that got dismantled in 2010.  Not my locomotives and definitely not my best photograph!

Here's an icon of that failed merger between the Santa Fe and Southern Pacific. The Santa Fe went ahead and had many locomotives painted in the "Kodachrome" livery with the intention of painting SP in front of the SF, for "Southern Pacific Santa Fe,” after the merger was approved.

But after the merger fell through in 1986, the Santa Fe continued operating those engines with just the SF.

Santa Fe F unit.

It's been awhile since I posted a photo in this thread!

John WP, love that SP Fairbanks Morse H-12-44 switcher! SP sure loved BIG headlights on their switchers!! I think #1487 still resides at the Niles Canyon Brightside yard.

Here's my Western Roads photos for this fine Wednesday.

Lionel did two versions of the Union Pacific SD-70ACE Western Pacific Legacy paint schemes. The version I have is a fantasy number, 1903, which is the year WP incorporated. The real UP Legacy WP paint scheme is number 1983, the year UP acquired WP. Actually, the acquisition was Dec. 22, 1982, but the merge wasn't complete until 1983.

Happy Wednesday!

@ScoutingDad and others:  THANKS for signing on and keeping this Wed thread alive.  Santa Fe as many contributors this week know is always good!  @trestleking - Handsome gondola, the side exterior detailing is really great. Did you do the coal load or did it come loaded from Kline? @86TA355SR - Great looking Mikado's Thanks for posting.

Thanks for joining!

Don

@Don McErlean posted:

@ScoutingDad and others:  THANKS for signing on and keeping this Wed thread alive.  Santa Fe as many contributors this week know is always good!  @trestleking - Handsome gondola, the side exterior detailing is really great. Did you do the coal load or did it come loaded from Kline? @86TA355SR - Great looking Mikado's Thanks for posting.

Thanks for joining!

Don

Don, glad you like the Burlington hopper. The car came new with the coal load you see.
  The C,B&Q:….”Everywhere West”.

Rich in WV

Well Western Road fans, here is one from my current resident state, Texas.  Its the Lionel #210 Texas Special Alco FA  AA locomotive from 1958 .

Well she isn't fancy but I can tell you that she still operates fine and will pull any consist that works on my little layout without complaint.

Best Wishes

Don

Westbound at McClellan on 2.1% grade.

@Rick Wright - Great picture, thanks for contributing.

Don

Well folks, here I am more or less following myself again.  I know there are more "western road fans" than me, I see Santa Fe stuff for example all the time.  So how about it folks, let's post some western stuff, "wda-U-say"

Here's a little Rock Island for you...the Marx RI Alco S3 switcher from 1962 just exiting my mountain range

Best Wishes, Don

Have always liked this seldom seen D&RG Alco PA set that Lionel did some years ago.  Have the B unit not shown.

@c.sam-Thanks for joining in...that is really a super looking diesel.

Don

Western Roads Wednesday, a great topic like many others, fun to review, and there’s a lot of beautiful trains on these pages…. Happy Railroading Everyone

Okay, here you go ..... SP/UP patch SD-40T2 .... three pics and a short video

@leapinlarry and @Richie C. - Great photos guys, thanks for joining in and posting!

Don

Well going on my continuing position that Texas is a WESTERN state, here is one ... no railroad it just commemorates the Battle of the Alamo..."Remember the Alamo"  Wa-whoo !

Best Wishes, Don

Don, originally growing up on the Jersey Shore, I considered anything west of the Delaware a western state!  Now living in AZ I've modified it to west of the Mississippi

My contribution for this week as I'm running out of western road photos.  I'll need to take some more soon.  In the meantime, some photos of TCA Desert Division cars with a decidedly western theme.

MTH Hot Eddy's smoking Salsa car was designed by the sadly late Marty Wik of TCA Desert Division.  MTH said it couldn't be done, so Marty built a working prototype sent it to them.  Needless to say, this car was possible and ended up in the product line after this car was done.  The other car is a K-Line car specific to the Phoenix Zoo.

One of three beer reefers done by Desert Division all local to the Phoenix, AZ region.  This was the first car done for Apache Beer.  The logo is accurate even if the car it fictitious.  The second car is also a wood sheathed Atlas reefer with a different Apache Beer logo.  The most recent one is an A-1 beer reefer and is a Lionel Scale 50' mechanical reefer based on the Weaver tooling.  The Division has a 4th car that is in production with Atlas for a local brewery that is an Atlas Cylindrical hopper.  Expecting to receive that in the fall.

This is the A-1 car.

GG1 4877 Thanks for posting today.  Great cars and really neat back stories on the Arizona Beer label.  OBTW, I grew up in N.J. more central than the shore, just outside Newark. However we vacationed at the shore almost every summer and eventually the family had a house on Long Beach Island that we finally sold around 2014.  My wife and her family also summered there (LBI) and we took our kids there after we were married.  So we have something in common.

Best Wishes

Don

Well Western Road fans, here is my Marx E-7 Union Pacific from 1960. The AB unit is hauling just the Marx #3900 UP caboose, from a much later period (1974-75).

Best Wishes, hope some of you western road fans might post to support this thread.  Hope your week is going well.

Don

GG1 4877 --- As an Arizona resident, I love the Hot Eddy's Salsa tank car and the rattlesnake car! I don't quite understand why MTH at first said it could been one -- it looks like a fairly straightforward matter of pad-printing an existing chemical tank car. I haven't gotten around to finishing my tarantula car -- a modified SP stock car -- but these inspire me!

"... it could not be done ... "  is what I meant to type.

@B Smith posted:

GG1 4877 --- As an Arizona resident, I love the Hot Eddy's Salsa tank car and the rattlesnake car! I don't quite understand why MTH at first said it could been one -- it looks like a fairly straightforward matter of pad-printing an existing chemical tank car. I haven't gotten around to finishing my tarantula car -- a modified SP stock car -- but these inspire me!

The Hot Eddy's Salsa car has a smoke unit in the dome.  Up until that point it had never been conceived before.  MTH did a few smoking tank cars of their own after this car was made. 

I think these cars come up on the auction sites from time to time.  As I recall there were a little over 200 made.  Look forward to seeing your tarantula car!

For my photographic entry this week a photo of part of an old layout with a backdrop I pieced together in Photoshop, plotted on a large format color printer, and spray mounted to a 2x4 piece of sky-blue painted Masonite.  The foreground is Photoshopped in the computer.   

I'd say this is deep faked, but "shallow faked" is more appropriate as I'm not fooling anyone with that foreground!

@B Smith and @GG1 4877 - Thanks for the post's guys , helps keep this thread alive for sure.  Jonathan really super background scene, highly realistic.

Best Wishes

Don

Well we all know about the "west" right !  What do we identify with the west?  COWBOYS !!  and if you are going to have cowboys you need....COW's!  So here are some western stock cars for the post today.

The Marx #59 Union Pacific ... made from 1936 onward, almost to the end of Marx with little change except for using plastic wheels and plastic knuckle couplers post 1953.

For a real "oldie" how about the Lionel 821 stock car from 1915-1916 and 1925-26 another "Union" stock car. The gal about a century old!

The Marx MoPac stock car, this one an operating car when you pull up at the platform a mechanical lever opens the door and a single cow exits.  No electric required but all you get is one cow!

The Marx "scale" ATSF stock car, the dull finish suggests this one is pre war - likely made and released in 1941-42.  However these "scale" cars were made through the 1950's.  By the way they were "S" scale or 3/16" to the foot but remained 0 gauge.

Well that is my "western" post for this week.  Hope your week is going well

Don

Running out of material as I STILL haven't photographed newer trains in a little while.  Still a little hot out at 113 yesterday.  Starting to cool down in the coming weeks though so I can get photos that aren't too hot off the presses. 

In the meantime, another older image but not as old as some I've posted.  The first of the E's are still the most elegant of the E's.

Have been looking for some plated diesels for awhile and came across these beauties recently.

I like these Yellowbonnets and found them at a train show a few years ago at a show but they MTH HO models.

Well I missed last week but here goes to see if we can raise the participation in this thread.

Here is my Marx Kansas City Southern FM AB unit and the Marx KCS 7" caboose.

Best wishes all

Don

Well I don't have too much today but I thought I might post some "K-Line" western rolling stock.  First the Southern Pacific boxcar #5142 from 1/1993.

Next, the Union Pacific double door reefer from 3/1997

Finally, even though not western, the October York TCA meet is coming up and many are preparing to go.  So here is a K-line boxcar commemorating the event.

HOW ABOUT A SOUTHERN PACIFIC BLACK WIDOW COIL GONDOLA MADE FOR THE LCCA

I think this qualifies.

@GGIGUYY and @coach joe -  Thanks for posting guys, great pictures and add's to the thread.

Don

My Lionel PW Lionel 2333 Santa Fe

One of my favorite western railroads is the Southern Pacific. Here’s my SP F unit in Black Widow with its freight train.

@Don McErlean posted:

@GGIGUYY and @coach joe -  Thanks for posting guys, great pictures and add's to the thread.

Don

Now that I've participated I'll have to go back to the beginning and look through the whole thread.

@coach joe- Great idea!  Let me know what you think and how we might improve the response .  Thanks

Don

Well I guess I will fall back on a very popular western road this week, the Santa Fe.  Here is a little Lionel Santa Fe 2-4-0 #8300 .  locomotive from 1973-1974.  Matching #9061 Santa Fe caboose, available for a considerable period 1970-1976.

Best Wishes ,  Don

Southern Pacific Black Widow SD-9

Southern Pacific Black Widow GP-9.

Sorry for the early post but I’m going to be really busy tomorrow. Happy WRW.

Following Lee- here is my western roads (day late) UP E-7 AB unit

Best Wishes, western roads fans

Don

@Don McErlean posted:

Following Lee- here is my western roads (day late) UP E-7 AB unit

Best Wishes, western roads fans

Don

Very nice Don. The Lionel 202 was my first O Gauge engine I bought. Thanks for sharing and the well wishes.

Well we are a little sparse today, so maybe I can "stir up" some postings.  This is my "Rock Island" boxcar by Lionel (MPC) sitting on a road crossing and causing no end of headache's for the morning commuters of "Small Town".  Remember..."the Rock Island line is a mighty good road..."  OK so I can't sing .

Best Wishes , Don