Modesto & Empire Traction

TruckLover

Mack CH613 & 53' Trailer
Hi Guys, i was chatting on another forum and one of the guys suggested that since i model BNSF and UP that he remembered there was a shortline RR near me that did the same. Its the Modesto & Empire Traction. They have a 5 Mile "Mainline" that serves the 2000 acre Beard Industrial District which is home to TONS of industries. In addition to the 5 miles, it serves an additional 28 miles of switching inside the Beard Industrial District.

They have 11 switchers, Nine 70 Toners (600, 601, 602, 603, 604, 605, 607, 608, and 613) and 2 SW1500's (1500, and 1501)

This could be a whole layout in itself, and it gives me TONS of ideas for layouts. I looked at the industries they serve, there are serveral that i know and would like to model. Plus the BNSF mainline runs along the right side of the district and the UP along the left side of the district. I could have cuts of cars being dropped off from BNSF and UP freight trains and then the M&ET switchers picking them up from both the BNSF and UP interchanges and switching them into there industries. TONS of fun :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

So, who makes a good 70 Toner and SW1500?
 

Ralph

Remember...it's for fun!
Seems to me there was an article about that road in TRAINS sometime in the last couple of years. Sounds like a winner!
Ralph
 

Free-mo Tim

New Member
Article in October 2007 RMC

Howdy,

There is a nicely detailed article on the M&ET in the October 2007 RMC. Trevor Marshall also shows how to build parts of it as a Free-Mo module set. You could use the same trackplan and forget the joints for the modules. Still would be lots of fun to operate!

Regards from Akron, OH

Free-Mo Tim
 
Josh M-I agree,that would make a really great layout. I also remember the article but for the life of me I can't find the magazine. Another senior moment. Bob
 

TruckLover

Mack CH613 & 53' Trailer
Seems to me there was an article about that road in TRAINS sometime in the last couple of years. Sounds like a winner!
Ralph

Thanks Ralph, ill have to look into getting the re-print of the issue if i can :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
 

TruckLover

Mack CH613 & 53' Trailer
Howdy,

There is a nicely detailed article on the M&ET in the October 2007 RMC. Trevor Marshall also shows how to build parts of it as a Free-Mo module set. You could use the same trackplan and forget the joints for the modules. Still would be lots of fun to operate!

Regards from Akron, OH

Free-Mo Tim


Thanks Tim :mrgreen: Ill also have to look into that article :mrgreen: I would like to see that trackplan that he did :cool:

Is RMC Railroad Model Craftsmen??? :confused: :eek:ops: lol
 

TruckLover

Mack CH613 & 53' Trailer
Josh M-I agree,that would make a really great layout. I also remember the article but for the life of me I can't find the magazine. Another senior moment. Bob

sign1 if you happen to run across it and your able to photocopy the article i would love to have it if its possible :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
 

Russ Bellinis

Active Member
Uh oh, looks like someone else will be stringing wires! Traction means trolley poles....

Sorry to disappoint you, GEC, I think the railroad started as a traction line with overhead wire, but they got rid of the overhead and switched to diesel. They just didn't bother changing the name.

Josh, how far away do you consider "close?" I think the Modesto & Empire Traction line operates out of Modest, Ca. That is a city in the Central Valley between Sacramento and Fresno.
 

TruckLover

Mack CH613 & 53' Trailer
Josh, how far away do you consider "close?" I think the Modesto & Empire Traction line operates out of Modest, Ca. That is a city in the Central Valley between Sacramento and Fresno.

LOL from what i understand, its about 6 hours or so away from where i live, not so close as i had thought lol

Still would be fun to take a trip up there for a day and snap some pics of the area and the switchers for reference tho :mrgreen:
 

TruckLover

Mack CH613 & 53' Trailer
Here's a topo map of the MET. You can click on the EAST & WEST arrows on the right & left margins to follow the MET to the ATSF (go east) & old SP (go left). To change map scale click on the "+" & "-" in upper left hand corner. To change size of the map click on one of the 3 boxes just outside the map top left.
http://terraserver-usa.com/image.aspx?T=2&S=12&Z=10&X=850&Y=5208&W=3&qs=|modesto|ca|


thanks for the link Andy, this reminds me i can also use Google Earth to view the area :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
 

TruckLover

Mack CH613 & 53' Trailer
Well it was just dumb luck but i already had the issue of RMC :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

I went on RMC's web site and was getting ready to order the back-issue from October 2007 Tim said, when i saw the cover online of the issue, i thought to myself, hey that looks awful familiar lol and i knew i had it :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

I had bought the issue when i saw the article of N scale Ore Unloader. i was planning on making a similar unloader so i bought the magazine, and when i stopped N scale for a little while and sold my N scale stuff, i put the mag away and havnt looked at it since lol

I opened it up and sure enough, theres the artilce :thumb: :cool: :mrgreen:

the article reads: Modesto & Empire Traction: Modeling a Bust California Shortline, Pt. 1, so that means theres also a part 2 or maybe even a part 3????
 

Ralph

Remember...it's for fun!
Howdy,

There is a nicely detailed article on the M&ET in the October 2007 RMC. Trevor Marshall also shows how to build parts of it as a Free-Mo module set. You could use the same trackplan and forget the joints for the modules. Still would be lots of fun to operate!

Regards from Akron, OH

Free-Mo Tim

That might be the article I was thinking of. :rolleyes: Right idea...wrong magazine in my memory! :)
 

TruckLover

Mack CH613 & 53' Trailer
That might be the article I was thinking of. :rolleyes: Right idea...wrong magazine in my memory! :)

sign1

I need the November 2007 Issue and also the August 2008 Issue of RMC as well.... Does anyone have these and are willing to photo copy the Modesto & Empire Traction: Modeling a Bust California Shortline, Pt. 2 in the November 07' and the article by Trevor Marshall in the August 2008 issue???
 

green_elite_cab

Keep It Moving!
LOL nope as Russ said, there are no wires on this line, i dont think i could tackle the task of stringing wires anyways lol


looks like you dodged that bullet. Still, trolley overhead is so much easier to build then this heavy electric stuff i do. It might be worth a shot if you ever decide to model it when it was still up.

It would make in interesting detail to have "clipped" catenary poled trackside that are still standing even though the wires are down. They may have been removed, but there a few spots where i've seen them standing as reminders of the past.
 

TruckLover

Mack CH613 & 53' Trailer
looks like you dodged that bullet. Still, trolley overhead is so much easier to build then this heavy electric stuff i do. It might be worth a shot if you ever decide to model it when it was still up.

It would make in interesting detail to have "clipped" catenary poled trackside that are still standing even though the wires are down. They may have been removed, but there a few spots where i've seen them standing as reminders of the past.


sign1

In Modesto there's still some spots with the poles still standing? cuz that would make an excellent detail to the scenes if they are :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
 
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