Prototype Railroading
How does a prototype railroad manage equipment?
I was reading another post on software for controlling a model railroad that reminded me of a questions I had when I wrote the software I used to control my previous model railroad.
I don't want to limit the subject to a particular type of equipment but boxcars are a good general starting point.
The era does matter but this question isn't era specific and differences in procedures over time are always of interest.
Need help identifying spurs
I have a track chart of the Western Maryland out of Port Covington as seen below. I am looking for help identifying the industries that were located here. I am hoping someone may have some info to help fill in the blanks. The numbered areas are what I am looking for info on.
Long hood forward or short hood forward, Southern Diesels in 1955?
The Southern ran through the town I model, Centralia, Illinois parallel to the IC and CB&Q through the center of town. The same line ran through the town I grew up in (Belleville, IL) on the way to St Louis. I was born in 1956 and I can't remember the green diesels although I must have certainly seen them as my fist home was in sight of the track. I remember a lot of the black and white F units and then geeps in the early 60s, but I can't remember if they ran the geeps long hood forward or not. I remember reading that Southern and N&W bought high hood
Era Drift - Modeling the 1960's and it's rolling stock...
Hi everyone,
I have a multi part question... I am primarily modeling 1954 but I have set my railroad up to change for multiple eras. I am now looking to 1969. My railroad is the GN and I am familiar with their changes in the 1960's, "circus cars, glacier green, and big sky blue" but I am less familiar with rolling stock changes around the nation at the same time. The GN was acquiring covered hoppers but the vast majority of their fleet was 55% boxcars and they were one of the few railroads making good money during this time. My questions are as follows.
Milwaukee Road Color Schemes
Hey guys,
Milw used to has various color schemes, like Black, Grey / Orange strip, Orange / Grey / Maroon, Orange / Black Maroon, Orange / Black. I wonder how those schemes were used - which color scheme in which period? And was there any different between the passenger and freight trains in the color scheme?
Many thanks,
Jure
Where to find real pics for modeling?
im looking online for some pics of SP's woodchip hoppers cause I want to get some nice ones so I'll have some pics to reference when weathering and building a model. Haven't been able to find many pics of the SP woodchip hoppers. Anyone have any suggestions of where to look? I've tried trainorders and railpic archive and didn't find much. Any suggestions would be appreciated
B unit as switcher
I just stumbled upon p.37 in Koester's "Coal Railroading": It depicts a single F7B unit as a switcher at a coal mine.
How was this done - particularly controlled by some engineer?
Timetable Questions
I found online a copy of the BNSF Twin Cities Division Timetable, dated November 17, 2004. I'm confused by some of the columns. For example, one column is titled "Rule 4.3" with cells "BMJT", "R", "JU" and "JTU". Another column is titled "Type of Oper." with cells "TWC" and "Rule 6.28". This particular timetable is for the Glasston Subdivision.
DT&I Decapod & caboose
I normally model the Nickel Plate Road but I have a Russian Decapod I'm thinking of doing as DT&I #301. Anyone have any Info/pictures of the loco? Also, what caboose would be appropriate to use with it and does anyone offer the model? The link below is the only picture I could find.
Steve
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=4016288
Refueling Modern Refrigerator Cars
So back in the old days they had big icing platforms.
What's the procedure for refueling the modern refrigerator cars? Do the empties go to a service track in the yard before going to the customer? Does someone just have a contract with a local fuel dealer to drive a truck up to the rails and pump fuel? Do they sit around cooling before they are loaded?
I found quite a bit on the web about how the cars work, who owns them, and lots of stuff about refrigerated truck trailers, but nothing on the logistics of how they are operated.
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