1981Eastbound Manifest Freight led by B23-7 6374

1981 B23-7 Manifest Freight

B23-7 6374, cutom painted and weathered.  I have three B23-7's on my roster, but I wanted one to have AAR type "B" trucks, recovered from U25B trade-ins to GE.  Atlas supplied these models in an unpainted version.

Close up of AAR Type "B" trucks and weathering applied to this unit. These units featured a 12 cylinder diesel engine producing 2250 horsepower.

GP38 3501, mildly weathered, with rotary beacon and can antenna installed on the cab roof.  Typical weathering of the walkways.  The prototype featured a non-turbocharged 12 cylinder 2000 h.p. engine, ideal for locals or secondary service.  That never stopped the Santa Fe from using them in Class 1 mainline service!

SD40 5013, part of original delivery of 20 SD40's in 1966, with 3000 hp from EMD's model 645, 16 cylinder turbocharged engine.  This engine is weathered, with air conditioning unit, rotary beacon, can antennae, and raised air horns.  The SD40's were not to be confused with the SD40-2's, which had much more computer related equipment and a different frame (same as the SD45's), which resulted in the "porches" on the front and rear of those locomotives.  (See my 4/29/13 blog.)

Micro Trains CN 50' plug door box

MT 50' double plug door boxcar.  Part of the first run of Western Roads 5 pack featuring Santa Fe Shock Control cars.

Micro Trains 50'boxcar.  The yellow DF emblem represents an original Santa Fe "Damage Free" car, first built in the 1950's.  It has a 8' Superior door and still maintains it's original Betterndorf trucks.  Heavily weathered after years of service, with it's mineral brown hidden under layers of soot and dirt.



ATSF 14555 represents recently repainted 50' Shock Control car.  The SL emblem at the right of the car indicates this car has special loading devices to protect materials shipped.

Two MT shock Control cars.  the car on the right has a emblem XF, indicating food loading only.  Car on the left appears to have seen a lot of service.

Two stock MT cars, both mildly weathered.  Roofwalk removed from Santa Fe DD boxcar.

MT Southern double door 50'boxcar

One of four cars in the Fallen Flags set #2, from Micro Trains featuring the four great railroads (GN, SP&S, CB&Q, and NP) that formed the Burlington Northern Railroad.  Roofwalk removed and heavily weathered.

Couple of covered hoppers.  The Milwaukee Road car is an ancient Atlas model.  I am not sure of the origin of the WP hopper



MT 50' plug and sliding door box, with Damage Free logo.  Roofwalk removed and slightly weathered.

Two more 50' cars from MT, both with the roofwalks removed. A 50' plug and sliding door box and a PFE mechanical refrigerator.

Again, roofwalks removed per Federal Government safety orders passed in the 1960's.  Over the years, many RR workers lost their lives falling from boxcar rooftops in wet or icy conditions.  Keeping them off the roofs saved lives.

UP 50' flat with load, with cable tie downs

St. Louis South Western covered hopper.  Cottton Belt was the nickname for this railroad, based on dominance of this crop along the railroad.

Medium weathering on MT 50' DD boxcar from the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad.



GN 50' plug and sliding door box, with roofwalk removed and medium weathering

Roofwalk removed on this CNW 50' plug door boxcar.

Custom painted 50'DD box.  Yellow DF logo indicated this car is rated a "Damage Free" car, probably with special loading dividers.

A Centralia ATSF caboose behind a 50' DD box.  The freight car is a MRC boxcar I purchased in the early 80's.  It was stripped of paint ands roofwalk, repainted and decaled.  This was a patchwork paint scheme of the early 70's, with the Santa Fe "Billboard" logo replacing a logo which probably stated "ship and travel Santa Fe.....".  With the dawn of Amtrak, Santa Fe passenger trains faded into history.

 

 

Avideo of this train can be seen on YouTube at:

                                                        http://youtu.be/HYkNdIS4ekI

 

 

Thanks for your interest.