Western Roads Wednesday

@Don McErlean posted:

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

HI Don you really put up some wonderful cars and engines! I am sorry I really wish I had something to share with you today!

Strike a pose! Happy Wednesday, everyone.

New from Mr Muffins  an Atlas SD45 w/PS3.  I realized aside from a cab forward and a Daylight passenger and 4449 engine set, I have zero SP rolling stock. Since I am going to run this as an intermodal (Atlas, Lionel and K-Line) I think I will be OK and not need to buy SP rolling stock.    Or is it now a matter of "I have to have SP rolling stock to go with the engine?"

@ScoutingDad posted:

New from Mr Muffins  an Atlas SD45 w/PS3.  I realized aside from a cab forward and a Daylight passenger and 4449 engine set, I have zero SP rolling stock. Since I am going to run this as an intermodal (Atlas, Lionel and K-Line) I think I will be OK and not need to buy SP rolling stock.    Or is it now a matter of "I have to have SP rolling stock to go with the engine?"

Gosh, that is a beautiful model! When I saw those rolling through downtown Sacramento as a kid, I remember Cotton Belt, UP, all kinds of road names in the consists. I think any freight cars would match well! Are you going to get more units to go with it?

Thanks everyone for pitching in...great photos.  @mike g.- Hey not to worry Mike, its always good to hear from you anytime.

Best Regards everyone,  Don

@ScoutingDad posted:

New from Mr Muffins  an Atlas SD45 w/PS3.  I realized aside from a cab forward and a Daylight passenger and 4449 engine set, I have zero SP rolling stock. Since I am going to run this as an intermodal (Atlas, Lionel and K-Line) I think I will be OK and not need to buy SP rolling stock.    Or is it now a matter of "I have to have SP rolling stock to go with the engine?"

Morning Jeff, just wanted to say that sure is a sharp looking engine! I had one when I started in HO, Sure wish I had one now, maybe down the line!

@CoastsideKevin    "Are you going to get more units to go with it?"  This was a custom run from Muffin's so unless I find a dummy unit, this may be it. I thought I was done buying engines and this one popped up as a pre-order - could not pass it up. My layout is too small to run a 25 car unit which would justify 2 engines. Practical max is about 15 cars or 20 foot length.

Just trying to be practical on the spend and space.

@ScoutingDad posted:

@CoastsideKevin    "Are you going to get more units to go with it?"  This was a custom run from Muffin's so unless I find a dummy unit, this may be it. I thought I was done buying engines and this one popped up as a pre-order - could not pass it up. My layout is too small to run a 25 car unit which would justify 2 engines. Practical max is about 15 cars or 20 foot length.

Just trying to be practical on the spend and space.

Yeah I get that. I have to pull at least 20 cars to double head and 45 to triple head. I can go a max of about 50. Three of those SD40s would be great on my layout but I have O31 switches so that is usually the limiting factor.

Well yesterday was a busy day, so I am a day late trying to reinforce our WRW thread.  This is my Lionel 221 Rio Grande ALCO from 1963-1964.  Pretty much a "plain Jane" with few if any features, although it did have remote reverse.  No headlight and no internal cab structure, simply a shell with a motor. However handsome in a plain way.  Pulls ok as well, at least on my little flat layout and I don't run long trains.

Here she is at the head of a typical train I run, sometimes I have 4 cars but not too much more than that, as much as for the limitation of the layout as for the limitations of the loco.  Here she is with a Lionel # 9074 D&RG caboose that was in the Lionel line for quite a period...1976-1983 in the catalog and 1984-1991 uncatalogued.

Well Happy "belated" Wednesday, Don

Nice, Don. Fun little train.

Here is a postwar bay window caboose, custom painted in WP, my  #1 favorite road name. Got it as a kid in the 1970s - no idea who the artist was but they did a decent, amateur job.

@CoastsideKevin -  Thanks for your compliment Kevin...Best Wishes, Don

This Atlas Premier MRL 50' High-cube box car arrived today. These, and the former MTH versions are among my favorites boxcars.

With all the interest surrounding Atlas’, recently delivered Premier SD70M & SD70MAC, I decided to unpack similar, O-Scale models from Overland, made 25 years ago (BNSF) & 29 years ago (BN).

These are just my opinion,

Naveen Rajan

@naveenrajan posted:

With all the interest surrounding Atlas’, recently delivered Premier SD70M & SD70MAC, I decided to unpack similar, O-Scale models from Overland, made 25 years ago (BNSF) & 29 years ago (BN).

These are just my opinion,

Naveen Rajan

These Overland SD7x versions are beautiful models naveerajan, here’s a Warbonnet SD75M.

@naveenrajan and @jgtrh62 - Those are beautiful models fellows, thanks for posting. I couldn't come close to running anything that big but I love to look !

Don McErlean

@Don McErlean posted:

@naveenrajan and @jgtrh62 - Those are beautiful models fellows, thanks for posting. I couldn't come close to running anything that big but I love to look !

Don McErlean

Thanks Don! I'm also going to be adding a route for my Lionel Pre-war Standard Gauge trains, as soon as I get my basement squared away more that is. I've always wanted to hand lay standard gauge track for a couple scenes, but most will be traditional. I'm really looking forward to running them again as it's literally been a couple decades since the last time.

@jgtrh62 posted:

These Overland SD7x versions are beautiful models naveerajan, here’s a Warbonnet SD75M.

John,

That is a good-looking model. Your hand laid track makes the entire photo look even more realistic.

I think that the Warbonnet paint scheme looks awesome on EMD SD75M & GE C44-9W.

Here are some photos that I took of the SD75M inside a BNSF facility, 10 years ago.

These are just my opinion,

Naveen Rajan

@Don McErlean posted:

@naveenrajan and @jgtrh62 - Those are beautiful models fellows, thanks for posting. I couldn't come close to running anything that big but I love to look !

Don McErlean

Thanks Don,

When I was younger, I ran these around Christmas breaks, on a temporary loop, on the floor, in my basement.

@jgtrh62 - Good luck with that Std Gauge idea, it sounds like it will be neat.  I have a modest amount of Std Gauge but except for an ocassional loop around the Christmas tree, I just have no room to run it so it sits on the shelf!

@naveenrajan- thanks for the pictures of those beautiful diesels running, really neat!!

Best Wishes, Don

Well for Western Roads, you can't get more "western" than the Santa Fe.  Here is the Marx 1998 Alco S-3 switcher and from 1955-1962 and  matching caboose.

Here is the same locomotive with a small train including the lumber car and the Santa Fe Work Caboose.

Best Wishes, Don

My small contribution for this Wednesday. SP 8951 with a string of 16 wheel oversize loads.

@CoastsideKevin - Kevin that is really a good shot, the lighting really makes it dramatic.  Thanks for posting.

Don

Here are a couple of my UP locomotives:

A couple of offering for this fine Wednesday afternoon.

My solution to the single SD45 was adding an Atlas RS7/15 to the mix. The Atlas had basic transformer control, so I did not mind taking out the motors and lubing everything so it would move freely as a dummy.  Auction price was reasonable as well and has nice details for what was a lower end price point at the time. 

I've been coveting a UP FEF ever since the first time I saw one running with the smoke shields. This is a Weaver brass with basic transformer controls. Thanks to Gunrunnerjohn for putting a new motor in this one. Runs great a slow speeds. While it will not make any speed records, this will just pull a slow freight.

Well I am a day late but here is my WRW input.  This is a Kline S-2 Santa Fe diesel switcher.

Best Wishes, Don

C&NW moving freight.

God Speed all.

Well things are a little thin on the ground in our thread tonight, including me being quite late, so I apologize for that.  This is a recent acquisition to my Lionel collection, not particularly rare but I thought it colorful and a logo for which I do not have much rolling stock.  This is the Lionel (MPC) #9770 NP boxcar from 1976-77.  I liked the advertisement of the "Vista Dome North Coast Limited" as part of the livery, train now long gone.  

Well thanks for all you "Western" folks for posting.  Best Regards.

Don

Hello Everyone,

I thought I'd share some pics of the Atlas O BNSF Executive Sceheme SD70MAC's that recently arrived at my Carpet Central. I also made a model railfanning video of these locomotives on my youtube channel.

K-line Santa Fe switcher on this fine Western Roads Wednesday

YOU CAN'T GET ANY MORE WESTERN THAN THIS L.C.C.A. BEAUTY.

Well here is certainly a "Western Road" for you.  The Lionel "Spokane, Portland, and Seattle" RR double door boxcar from Washington State.  Released by Lionel in 1989.

I was late last week so decided to be early this week, so its Tuesday evening but with work in the morning I will just post this one early.

Best Wishes

Don

A long abandoned but recently refurbished siding on Espee’s Shasta Daylight route.  This remote siding plays host to its first revenue car since the Second World War.

My contribution for this week.

Well just for fun here’s a nice Rio Grande hot-shot consist mini-video😜 😉

If you like Western here is the L.C.C.A. S & P BLACK WIDOW PASSENGER SET.

@Don McErlean posted:

Well things are a little thin on the ground in our thread tonight, including me being quite late, so I apologize for that.  This is a recent acquisition to my Lionel collection, not particularly rare but I thought it colorful and a logo for which I do not have much rolling stock.  This is the Lionel (MPC) #9770 NP boxcar from 1976-77.  I liked the advertisement of the "Vista Dome North Coast Limited" as part of the livery, train now long gone.  

Well thanks for all you "Western" folks for posting.  Best Regards.

Don

Don I too have this beauty.  Picked it up at a train show in the early 90s when i was first getting into the hobby.  The bright orange color was a departure from the colors I had in my fleet and it was priced right so home it came.

@bigboy25, I don't why but I always like this BN scheme and was glad it survived into the BNSF era.  I've got a MTH premier SD70 in that scheme.

@coach joe - Hey Mate!  Glad we share such an interest.  Like you I was attracted to the colorful livery among all the standard dark brown boxcars.  Thanks for the comment.

Best Wishes

Don

Well "Western Roads" fans, here is a WP boxcar that has just delivered a whole bunch of Turkey's for Thanksgiving.  However there has been some vandalism in the yard recently so the RR has hired a ex-Navy guy to keep watch while they unload.

!!

Ex- Navy employee (me) keeping constant vigil on that boxcar full of turkeys...(note open door and empty boxcar) !!

Best Wishes, Don