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Post by fr8kar on Jul 6, 2017 10:48:49 GMT -8
I grew up where the Cotton Belt's line from Commerce to Fort Worth crossed the Mopac-Katy joint track, which runs from Fort Worth to the Red River Valley, so I always had plenty of traffic to keep me busy chasing trains in my younger years. But I was always more interested in the railroads that worked in the shadows of the big elevators and mill some nine miles west of my house. I could see the elevators and mill on the horizon from my house, which was situated on a small hill, but it was only when we had reason to visit friends on the other side of town that I got to actually see the Santa Fe, Fort Worth & Denver and Rock Island (later Katy) take their turns at Tower 29 and work the elevators and mill. Santa Fe had a yard crossed by a large highway overpass which allowed a view of the tower and the lead job to the north and the small piggyback yard and car shop to the south. And there was the full spectrum of the Santa Fe - fast pigs to the lowly switcher - that spoke to me so clearly. Eventually my dad figured out that I wanted to visit this place, so one day he and his dad - the person responsible for introducing me to this hobby - took me to the north end where we watched the action and took photos. I was eventually invited into the tower by the yardmaster, where I was able to soak in the view for what seemed like hours. I was also given a cab ride in a GP7 on the lead and I got to climb into a caboose and look around. I took some photos, but I couldn't say what happened to them. Nevermind, I remember so much of the experience clearly. In the early 90s the piggyback yard in Saginaw was closed and operations (along with those from Dallas, closed to make way for the DART light rail system) moved to a big new yard and intermodal facility north of town. Saginaw Yard remained open for many years after the move, but was eventually closed in the mid 2000s and used for storage during the economic downturn. It was opened again last year in response to the increased automobile traffic that appeared on BNSF, especially in the Eagle Pass-Alliance lane. The old piggyback ramp in Saginaw was used for several years as the southwestern terminus of Norfolk Southern's Roadrailer service, which saw daily Saginaw-Kansas City and Kansas City-Saginaw trains. Once that service ended the ramp has been used for storage of locomotives or MOW equipment. I've spent more time working that lead job, the mill job and transfer jobs to and from Saginaw as an engineer than I ever spent railfanning as a kid. In spite of all that has happened at Saginaw Yard in the past few decades since those first experiences seeing the pig ramp and lead and elevator and mill and transfer jobs, those first memories are the way I model Santa Fe today. Fast intermodal trains are a big piece of the puzzle, but so are those mill and elevator and transfer jobs. Once upon a time I had a pretty sizable Santa Fe locomotive roster comprised mainly of big six axle beasts, but I've since sold most of it with plans to replace it with better quality models and with an emphasis on four axle road switchers and fast intermodal power. I've shown some of these models here recently, including the B39-8 and B40-8 models under construction, but it's been awhile since I took photos of the cabooses and 10-Pack Fuel Foiler models. 10-Pack Fuel Foiler, modified from Athearn kits 10-Pack Fuel Foiler, modified from Athearn kits Centralia Car Shops RTR model with Athearn trucks and Moloco draft gear Atlas EV caboose underframe with Moloco draft gear and steps and 3D printed body and details
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Post by stevewagner on Jul 6, 2017 11:10:52 GMT -8
Nicely done models, Ryan!
I had never seen as many intermodal trains on one line as I did on the ATSF main from KC to Chicago in February 1986. Really impressive!
In the summer of 1982 I flew into Mid-Continent Airport, took a cab to Independence, and then Greyhound from Kansas City, MO to Abilene, Kansas. As usual, I sat just behind the driver. I asked him what the airplane silhouettes on the pavement of the Interstate were for. He said they were mile markers that state police in planes used to check for speeders. Long-distance buses actually got pulled over and ticketed. I didn't have a car, so I walked a lot. Early in the a.m. from my motel on the town's west end to downtown for breakfast. The banks opened at 7 a.m. -- this was farm country. Then a few blocks south past the UP and ATSF depots to the Eisenhower Library. When it closed I walked north nearly to the Interstate highway to get supper. Then slanted southwest through a park that featured a Santa Fe steam loco on display -- the ATSF had donated many of them, while my favorite road, the D&H, didn't save any. More important was a grand public swimming pool built by the WPA in the 1930's and since refurbished. That was a great relief in the summer heat and humidity! Downtown was an old brick building that inspired a model in Model Railroader in the 1950's on which at least one commercial kit, labeled as a drugstore, was based. Also an old movie theater where I watched Disney's Bambi for the first time in decades. I skipped the next evening's offering: Conan the Barbarian. One of the local pickup trucks sported this bumpersticker: Railroaders do it with cold steel.
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Post by riogrande on Jul 6, 2017 11:24:27 GMT -8
Ryan,
Back in 1985 I helped my mother drive a car and U-Haul trailer from Sacramento to Bakersfield and then east through Arizone and New Mexico - Rt 10 IIRC. In one city we passed a yard and it had a long string of white spine cars I would later learn were called Fuel Foiler 10 packs. I thought it was pretty interesting. Looks like you have nailed it Ryan. Do you have more photo's?
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Post by fr8kar on Jul 6, 2017 12:08:47 GMT -8
Thanks! As you might imagine, it's a difficult model to photograph. I have several detail photos of it in this gallery: www.pbase.com/mecrharris/fuel_foilerI'm going to do either the Cotton Belt or the Southern Pacific version at some point just for fun. Long range I'd like to do the SP well car from the MR article long ago. By the time I finish the drawings it might actually be economical to print it.
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Post by riogrande on Jul 6, 2017 12:56:52 GMT -8
I like the photo's of the Fuel Foilers loaded and in-action. Did you install the 28" IMRC wheel sets on them and did you paint the weights inside the spine center? I actually have 3 sets of the Trailer Train yellow 5-unit Impacks because the did run on the D&RGW although I'm not sure what the earliest date they ran over the Rockies. The did run on the 1986 and later Rail Blazer IIRC, and possibly on earlier TOFC train too.
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Post by fr8kar on Jul 6, 2017 17:19:52 GMT -8
The original Santa Fe cars were built around the standard 96" wide 40' and 45' trailers common at the time. This design eventually became the Impack spine car after some modification. I don't have a list of owners on me, but there were four and eight unit sets that went to Cotton Belt and Southern Pacific (can't remember which one got the eight unit set and which one got the four unit set) [Edit: SSW class FCA-125-1, nos. 90049-90058 were the four unit cars, SSW class FCA-250-1, nos. 90059-90078 were the eight unit cars], some for BN [Edit: BN 637100-637107, ACF -83, 10 platform, Versa-Deck II; BN 637500-637503, ACF -83, 5 platform, Versa-Deck II; BN 637300-637317, ?, ?, 3 platform, ? (source: Yahoo BN List)] and possibly others.
I originally bought this 10-pack in the late 90s decorated for Santa Fe and left it at that. Since I was modeling up to the minute at that time, once I saw how the cars were filthy brown other than a length of white angle on each wheel deck, I weathered mine and added the thin white angle. I learned the angle was there to allow loading of 102" wide trailers, the tires of which would overhang the narrow wheel decks.
One thing that never looked right was how my 102" wide trailers were never in danger of overhanging the wheel deck and nowhere close to the white angle. The reason is that the wheel deck on the Athearn Impack car is too wide. It may be fine for the later Impack version, but it is too wide for the Santa Fe prototype. The model wheel deck is hollow underneath so the metal weight can fit in the void. What I did to correct this was to saw off the sides of the wheel deck (the plastic is about 0.040" thick) and replace them with new sides cut from 0.010" styrene.
At this point, using the article in MR as a resource, I built up the handbrake linkage and added plumbing for the air system. This process took a long time, mostly because I'd get tired of working on it. When I finally finished the build I painted and decaled the model.
Oh, and I did add the Intermountain wheels to it, but they are a little loose side to side. The only other thing I'll probably do is 3D print correct hitches for it.
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Post by sd80mac on Jul 7, 2017 10:21:23 GMT -8
I don't model ATSF but I have 3 FP45s, an SD40-2, an SD75M and an Intermountain Dash 9 and Genesis SDF40-2 on preorder. ATSF run through power was fairly common in the late 90s on the section of Conrail I want to model and was freely mixed with CR and other early BNSF units.
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Post by riogrande on Jul 7, 2017 12:22:38 GMT -8
Ryan,
I had looked into the Impack spine cars at one time and IIRC, Cotton Belt had them, BN, but don't recall them under SP reporting marks. There were some very good articles in MRG or RMJ magazines around 18-19 years ago. If TrainLife has the magazine archive fixed and working I can try looking up the articles.
As cool as the Fuel Foilers were, weren't those captive to ATSF rails only? But the later Impack versions got around but I don't know where they traveled like if they traveled Rio Grande rails - not that I've heard of. The only Impacks on the Rio Grande I know of were the yellow Trail Train 5 car sets - which were on the 1986+ Rail Blazer. Not sure if they were on D&RGW intermodal trains prior to that but I should check. I have 3 five car Athearn kit sets.
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Post by fr8kar on Jul 7, 2017 13:03:46 GMT -8
There are three photos of a four unit car lettered for SP shown here: www.railgoat.railfan.net/spcars/byclass/flat/fca125-01.htmThe author suggests this may have been a demo car. As far as the ATSF cars were concerned, as far as I know they were in captive service on the Santa Fe. Here's a good video showing one mixed in an intermodal drag, along with several other goodies like Front Runners: I really like the intermodal trains of this era. There was such a wild mix of equipment.
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Post by riogrande on Jul 7, 2017 14:56:55 GMT -8
Count on Railgoat for info and sometimes photo's. Question is, did SP buy more beyond the demo? Thats what I recall, captive service and didn't run off-line on other RR's. ATSF is an excellent RR to model for sure. The more you learn about it ... If I lived in ATSF territory, it would be a no brainer, but I still need a personal connection, hence SP and D&RGW. I noticed no date for the video. Any clue yourself? How long did the Fuel Foilers last in service? Edit, I saw speed TTX logo flat cars so I know that dates it after 1991. I was wondering about what the triangle parts added on for the wider tires but it looks like extensions on the prototype in the video.
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Post by tankcarsrule on Jul 7, 2017 15:56:44 GMT -8
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Post by buffalobill on Jul 7, 2017 16:36:52 GMT -8
Ryan: The Santa Fe never had the Fuel Foiler design AAR certified for interchange, as a result they were in captive service. Essentially, Corwith, and Texas to California. They did not meet the revised 1974 strength standards. Itel had the design reworked and received AAR certification prior to marketing it.
Bobby, nice job on the Santa Fe- Canadian car. You could easily forget it started out as a Bachmann car. Bill
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Post by fr8kar on Jul 7, 2017 17:33:19 GMT -8
Great info, Bill. Thanks!
Nice work on that hopper, Bobby.
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Post by tankcarsrule on Jul 8, 2017 4:51:34 GMT -8
Thank you Bill, Ryan. I tried to give a thumbs up, but it doesn't take.
Bobby
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Post by riogrande on Jul 8, 2017 5:46:13 GMT -8
Thumbs up doesn't work for me on my Android phone, only a computer for some reason.
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Post by riogrande on Jul 20, 2017 11:33:24 GMT -8
Hopefully BLI will re-run those gaters in ATSF and Utah again. I missed out on the Utah version when they came out - couldn't afford them at the time. Found one of each. I decided to order that BLI RSD15 Utah diesel toward a the Utah coal train I've been assembling. Some items I had budgeted for have been delayed so I could free up funds along with a gift card I got. That will be my first BLI diesel so hopefully a good one. The Utah Rwy acquired the RSD15's from ATSF second hand in 1975 and used them through 1982 so the time frame fits my focus. Utah was using a mix if the 2nd hand RSD15's and RSD4/5's (Atlas loco's) during that 1975-1982 period. After 1982 they leased SD's from UP for a few years and then BN F45's and ex-SP SD45's etc. I'll need one or two more RSD15's for a proper Utah coal train but that's for another treasure hunt after I can budget for it.
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Post by Spikre on Jul 21, 2017 11:43:52 GMT -8
James, Utah seemed to have some RSD-12s around then also,they may have been ex-C&O/B&O and leased from LASCO. Spikre
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Post by riogrande on Jul 21, 2017 12:12:19 GMT -8
So now that I have an RSD-15 on the way, do I need to learn how to say "gator gator"? Hopefully it will be a good runner although regarding the sound I've read mixed comments. Were the Broadway RSD-15's sold without sound? I see two of the RSD-12's listed. Number 601 and 602. utahrails.net/utah-ry/utah-ry-diesel-index.phpFrom UtahRails.net: Utah 600 LASCO 2014 Apr 1956 81950 29 Nov 1974 13 May 1982 1 (Utah 601) LASCO 2016 May 1956 81952 24 Dec 1974 5 Sep 1975 2 General Notes: a. LASCO 2014 and 2016 were leased to Utah Railway in November 1974; both units were purchased on 23 February 1976; built as C&O 6707 and 6709; renumbered to C&O 2014 and 2016; sold to B&O 2014 and 2016; sold to LASCO 2014 and 2016. b. Utah 600 was renumbered from LASCO 2014 in April 1976 after being out of service since November 1975 because of a main generator failure. c. LASCO 2016 was never renumbered from LASCO to Utah; the unit carried its LASCO 2016 number until formal retirement. d. LASCO 2016 was immediately retired after being wrecked in March 1976, while awaiting replacement of its main generator; frame and carbody were damaged beyond economical repair. The wreck damage was caused when a graveyard-shift switching crew at Martin used LASCO 2016 as an end-of-track bumper for a string of empty hoppers; a hopper car was pushed up onto the end walkway and radiator section of the locomotive. Notes: 1. Utah 600 was sold to Industrial Salvage & Metals (Salt Lake City, Utah), November 1983, scrapped by early January 1984. 2. LASCO 2016 was sold to Mountain States Machinery (Price, Utah), scrapped at Martin, Utah.
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Post by Spikre on Jul 21, 2017 12:43:53 GMT -8
James, the BLI Gators originally came as Stealth or Sound units. later only as Sound units. not sure if they had a "Blue Line' version? Spikre
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Post by riogrande on Jul 21, 2017 13:09:05 GMT -8
kk - the one I bought was sound, but for a second one non sound would be fine.
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