Prototype information

Team Track Question

I know just about any type of car can show up at a team track sooner or later. But how common was it for covered hoppers to be unloaded at a team track in the mid 60's? What kind of offline industry would be using a team track in this way? What would have been the typical kind of load going in or out? And how would the hopper have been loaded or unloaded? 

On a similar note, were covered hoppers carrying plastic pellets yet in the mid 60's? Say for an offline plastics plant?

Thanks!

Simple grain elevator design

Rather than going traditional (wood, steel, or concrete grain elevator) people might consider a very simple grain bin elevator servicing a siding.  I was using Google maps going along the track paralleling Kansas Highway 96 just east of the Colorado border, when I saw this small elevator.  

It would be easy to duplicate this with four bins (Rix, Walthers, etc) and two legs (Rix, Walthers, etc) or totally scratch build it.  Here is a concept drawing of the facility.

trainmaster247's picture

MOW Work, love it and hate it

So living on the BNSF main line you see a lot of traffic, you also see some maintenance (and in one case recently a wreck). Right not many ties are being replaced so really cool to see but of course it is from 9 at night til 3 in the morning so trying to sleep aint so fun. Still really cool to see though,

Bernd's picture

McMyler Coal Dumper

Anybody know if Bearcomarine is still in business? Reason I ask is I've become very interested in building an HO scale model of a McMyler Coal Dumper. I already know of the Garden State Model Railroad clubs working model and the post here on MRH about the "N" scale model that was started but looks like the poster never finished. I've also surfed the net and downloaded every picture I could find.

I looked at the Bearco's site. It's still up but if you click on purchasing plans you get a 404 error.

trainmaster247's picture

Your Most Interesting Piece Of Railroad Memoribilia

So I recently got a really impressive piece from a family member that used to work for EMD, it is a large wooden E8 a styling model used to try out paint schemes. This one is in the B&O herald minus words and shield. So what else do you have hiding in your collections? Let's see it here.

George J's picture

Help Identifying a Covered Hopper

I need a little help identifying this covered hopper.

I think it is a Pullman Standard PS-2 but I don't think it is the ubiquitous 4740. 

George J

Prototype switch has me stumped

Here's a picture of my great-great grandfather's lumber mill in Tacoma, circa 1880. As you can see, most if not all of the mill is on pilings. The points on the turnout in the foreground have me stumped. One appears to be outside and the other inside (in the normal position.) Did the mill use special wheel sets on its cars? Did the track crew screw up (and the mill never used the switch)? 

If I model the mill I'll certainly use standard switches, but still... What's up?


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