1981 N Scale Auto Rack led by SD40-2 5040

 Four EMD units lead this westbound Auto Rack train, probably train #678 from Tulsa and Memphis.  The units are SD40-2's 5040 and "snoot" 5026, FP45 5941, and F45 5938.

Three Red Caboose (now Intermountain Rwy) Bi Level auto racks are right behind the four locomotives.  These units have been previously covered in my 9/16/13 blog on auto racks led by GP38 3532.

This is Athearn's latest release, a triple deck open sided auto carrier, manufactured sometime in the 1960's.  I inserted this picture as a contrast to my modified auto racks as they would have looked like in 1981

Micro Trains ATSF triple deck "Autoveyor".  The name did not catch on in the industry. I added the side panels.

Northern Pacific triple deck auto rack recently released by Athearn.  All my open sided auto racks have been modified with aluminum side panels in the 70's and early 80's.

Athearn Frisco auto rack.  All of my auto racks are carrying new Chevrolet Impalas manufactured by Classic Metal Works.

Seabord Coast Lines 3 deck auto rack. Notice that the side panels are of different heights on many of my auto racks.

Missouri Pacific auto rack by Athearn. The autos on the lower decks are Toyotas by Kato.

The plastic Toyotas are necessary because using all CMW Impalas, the units become very top heavy and tend to topple on super elevated curves.

Another MT triple deck loaded with Impalas (supposedly).

Double deck Southern railway as built by Athearn but weathered by yours truly.

Seaboard auto rack specifically designed for truck transportation.

Wabash auto rack filled with eight Ford pick up trucks by Atlas.
Though made as 1971 trucks, they can easily pass for 1981 trucks. 

The side panels are actually plastic. Look at the end of this blog for information on where to get the plastic.

Illinois Central

Rock Island

Northern Pacific

Special limited run Erie Lackawanna from MT.

These sheets are available from JTT Architectural.  I got mine on Ebay.

For a video of this train:

               https://youtu.be/EmbsVa9djG4

Thanks for your interest!

1954 Fast Mail Express No. 8

Today's Fast Mail Express...

Santa Fe 50' Double Door Express Box Car.  There are several in this train.  The model is Con Cor and is custom painted and decaled.

Santa Fe 50' Double Door Express Box Car. These are the original paint scheme on the Express 50' Box.  In 1954, probably most had  been repainted and had express trucks replaced.  But I couldn't resist putting a few in the Fast Mail.  These models are MT.

MT 50' express cars

Santa Fe 50' Express Wood Refrigerator on express trucks.

PRR REA  70' Express baggage by Rivarossi custom painted.

Santa Fe 70' REA Express baggage by Rivarossi.  There are several in this train.

Katy 40' Express baggage by MT.

ATSF 70' baggage and mail car 2027. These cars are different from RPO's. A true Railway Post Office was dedicated to the PO and were only assigned to daily trains. 

ATSF 70' baggage and mail car 2038.  Baggage and Mail cars were on most Fast Mail Express trains.

Santa Fe RPO 75 is a true 60' Railway Post Office, as the Fast Mail Express ran daily, and usually in more than one section.

Santa Fe 60' RPO has an added skylight. 

50' Wagon Top Wood Refrigerator on express trucks.

40' REA steel refrigerator 1170

 Santa Fe 50' steel refrigerator on express trucks.  Car by MT.

Rider Express car 2602 by Rivarossi.  FRA required at least a combine to provide ridership on every fast mail train. Thanks to Rivarossi for producing these way back when!

Please view video at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCz28ROxfck&t=2s

1954 Santa Fe #256 East

New 50' Damage Free Box Cars

Recently built 50' Damage Free box cars out of the Santa Fe shops.  These cars are MT cars custom painted and decaled with Micro Scale decals.

A look at some of the stock cars...

Stock Car 25397 

MT stock cars with yellow doors designating two deck stock car.

MT stock cars from D&RGW and CB&Q.  As pain faded and exposed wood it eventually turned grey.

Two more MT cars, MKT and Great Northern.

A video of this train can be found on YouTube at:


https://youtu.be/DjUvEP4Yl-I

Thanks for your interest!

Abrams MI Tank Train

                    

A couple of GE units lead the "Tank Train" across the Mojave Desert, prior to the merger with the Burlington Northern.  

This train is eastbound, leaving from Sierra Army Depot, Herlong Ca, via the Sierra Northern Railway to the Santa Fe interchange.  These tanks are leaving storage, bound for re-deployment.

Pictured here are two GE units.  The 502 is an 8-40BW , part of an order of 81 units manufactured between 1990-92.  The "W" stands for 'Wide Cab".  The 7412 is a 8-40B, and has much in common with the 502 mechanically, including 4000 HP from both classes.

Shown here are GP60 4017and unit 331 GP60B. 4017  was one of forty built between 1988-89.  They were equipped with dynamic brakes, air conditioners, and rotary beacons. 331 was one of twenty three cabless "B" units built in 1991.  They shared the same 710G engine with 3800 HP, frame length and internal components as the GP60's

DODX 68' flat cars designed to carry one Abrams M1AI tank.  These cars rode on Barber Roller Bearing trucks, and all were painted red.

These 68' DODX flat cars rode on 6 wheel Buckeye trucks, and thus were able to support the weight of two Abrams tanks.  Shown are flat cars painted dark green (weathered).

Pictured two Olive Drab colored tanks and two in Desert Tan.

One tank in faded Olive Drab. The flat cars are in two different colors, with the left in a light grey and the right in dark grey.

The Army ordered all the buckeye equipped flate in on of the three above mentioned colors.

Three Desert Tan and one Olive Drab.

If the Army was short of flats, they primarily hired out
Trailer Train flats of various lengths, in this case 50 footers.

You can see a video of this train on Youtube at:

https://youtu.be/tzAqjMK_AWA

1954 Super Chief #17 in N Scale

Santa Fe Super Chief crossing the Mojave Desert powered by F7's ABBA  No. 38

       1954 Super Chief #17

ACF                    Baggage                                3456

ACF                    RPO                                       87

ACF                    10-6 Sleeper                          Palm Haven      

ACF                    10-6 Sleeper                          Palm Stream

ACF                    4-4-2 Sleeper                        Regal Crest

ACF                    4-4-2 Sleeper                        Regal Gate

ACF                    Dome                                     501

Pullman              Diner                                     603

Pullman              Dormitory Lounge               1341

Budd                   10-6 Sleeper                          Pine Pass

         

Budd                   10-6 Sleeper                          Pine Dale

                                     

 ACF                     4-4-2 Sleeper                        Regal Inn

ACF                    4-4-2 Sleeper                        Regal Court      

Pullman              4-1 Sleeper                           Vista Canyon

Sleeping Cars Design

10-6                      10 Roomette, 6 Bedroom

4-4-2                    4 Compartment, 4 Bedroom, 2 Drawing Room

4-1                        4 Drawing Room, 1 Bedroom

 Santa Fe #17 consist.  The ACF Sleepers, the Observation cars, the Pleasure Dome, the Diners, and the Lounge Dormitory cars were built exclusively for the Santa Fe Super Chief.  The Budd sleepers were built for general distribution and frequently found themselves on the Super Chief.

All models are from Kato.

American Car and Foundry Baggage #3456 delivered in 1950.

 Railway Post Office car 87 manufactured by ACF and delivered in

 1947.

 Palm Haven is an ACF built 10-6 sleeper delivered in 1951.   

This photo shows the B side of this car.

Palm Stream another ACF car also delivered in 1951.  

Regal Crest from ACF is a 4-4-2 sleeper delivered in 1950.

AFC's Regal Gate delivered in 1950, B side..

The Pleasure Dome Lounge also featured a small dining area.  This Pullman manufactured car was delivered for the Super Chief only in 1950.  One of six cars.

Pullman made Diner was delivered for the Super Chief in 1950.

The 1341 Dormitory Lounge was built by Pullman and delivered in 1950.

The Diner always ran with the Kitchen end next to the small dining room (The Turquoise Room) of the Dome Lounge.  This allowed for direct access. 

 Pine Pass was built by Budd.  It is a 10-6 sleeper delivered to the Santa Fe in 1951.  Note that the floor plan is "flipped" from the ACF version of a 10-6.

 Pine Dale by Budd also delivered in 1951.  The Pine Dale and the Pine Pass were both modified from Kato CB&Q 10-6's.  I opened up the Wheel wells and painted the cars with Alclad II Aluminum.

 Regal Inn is a 4-4-2 built by ACF.

  Regal Court is a 4-4-2- built by ACF.

Vista Canyon is a 4-1 Sleeper Observation built exclusively for the Super Chief and delivered in 1950.

Additional Information:

Kato recently released a two pack of Santa Fe sleepers with an eleven bedroom sleeping car, and the above Pine 10-6.  The cars were delivered without skirts attached, but many of the cars had their skirts added by Santa Fe Employees.

A video of this train can be seen on YouTube at:

                           https://youtu.be/ve60BUgkaQE

Thanks for your interest.